Once the Twilight
by jadedfirefly
Summary: Sequel to "Do Not Go Gentle"- The team must go back to finish what was left undone on a planet now under Goa'uld rule.  Teamfic,S/J in cannon, whump, and whatever else I manage to throw into the mix.  On hold/Unfinished.
1. Chapter 1

Hi there! It's been a long time since I posted anything so I feel a bit rusty on the site. Really. I had to go back to write this intro because I forgot to do it the first time. :0S I wasn't going to publish this until it was finished, but I decided that you guys really help light a fire under me to get things done. I know, I know, I've said that before. It's the truth and I've decided to embrace it. :0)

This is the sequel to "Do Not Go Gentle." I would highly recommend you read that one first as it introduces a few original characters that play a HUGE role in the story and lets you in on some baggage Carter holds toward at least one of them.

I loved the characters so much that I couldn't let them go. I also felt the story needed a lot more than a quick ending. That's why I decided to end it where it did and move to a second book. I hope you enjoy this story and keep those reviews coming!

As you know (if you've read my stuff before), I am a huge S/J person. I'm also a huge SG-1 fan, and as such, I won't do anything that messes with cannon. Just be warned that I do paint things in that lovely light. The relationship that never got to be gets to peek through on occasion. I make no apologies. :0)

**Disclaimer:** Only a couple of these characters are mine. Those that aren't belong to people far older and wiser than me.

**Warning!** Only people trapped in glass houses should throw stones.

Have fun and here we go again!

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**Once the Twilight**

**Chapter One**

"Today, Major!"

Major Samantha Carter barely heard her CO's voice over the scream of three death gliders. Staff weapon fire pelted her position from inside the thick jungle that surrounded her. She ducked behind the DHD and glanced to where Jack O'Neill sat hunkered behind a tree ten yards away.

"Almost there, sir!" she yelled.

She popped back up and reached across the top of the mushroom-shaped device for the next symbol. She pressed the chevron and watched it light up before she dropped back into cover.

One of the death gliders swooped low and shot into the dense greenery. The ball of energy slammed into a large tree to her right. Bark and earth exploded toward her.

Sam threw herself to the ground and turned her face away from the heated shrapnel. When she looked again, the damaged tree shook and fell away from her in slow motion with a series of loud cracks. A cluster of trees caught it before it could fall far. They bent under its weight, but held.

Another staff blast brushed past her sleeve and reminded her that she didn't have time to worry about what their battle was doing to the jungle.

The Colonel popped back out of hiding long enough to take out the Jaffa who had shot at her and then ducked away again.

Sam didn't't know where Teal'c and Daniel had taken cover and she didn't have time to look for them. With a deep breath, she stood up again to find the seventh symbol. The gate whooshed to life behind her. She barely cast a glance back to the blue event horizon before she raised her weapon to provide cover fire for her team. "Come on! Come on!" she yelled.

Instantly, Daniel dashed out from a thick cluster of foliage thirty yards to her right. He wound his way through the trees, headed her way – his gun clutched tightly in one hand while the other reached up to keep his boonie on his head. The Jaffa, having found a new target, focused their fire on him. Sam straightened as a Jaffa came into view to her right, his weapon raised toward her friend. She squeezed the hair trigger on her P-90 and watched the enemy fall.

Daniel dropped beside her and turned to take a look back through the trees. Sweat trickled down the sides of his face and he dragged in heavy breaths.

"That was a little too close, Daniel," Sam said.

He nodded. "I think next time I'll dial the gate and you can make a run for it."

Sam chuckled. "I don't have a problem with that." She reached up to the radio attached to her vest and depressed the button. "SGC, this is SG-1. We're at the gate and we're coming in hot!"

Just then, Teal'c broke from his position. He made it about twenty yards before he dove behind another tree and turned to shoot at his Jaffa pursuers.

Jack also chose that moment to make his move. With the Jaffa's attention now divided, Teal'c was able to turn back toward the gate and run.

"Copy that, SG-1," Walter Harriman's voice answered through the radio. Sam leaned out from behind the DHD and peeled off a few more rounds. "Come on home."

Jack slid to a stop behind the DHD and turned to cover Teal'c. "Go, Daniel!" he yelled over the drone of the death gliders. They seemed to be flying lower at each pass.

Daniel nodded and took off for the gate. Sam heard the subtle but familiar change in the hum of the event horizon as her friend stepped through… just before one of the gliders took another dive toward their position, its cannons firing. A huge burst of energy shot through the trees, but this pilot's aim was better than the last. The blast impacted in front of the DHD.

Sam felt the heat of the explosion singe the hairs on her arms. Before she could react she was airborne. She flew backward and crashed through a thick group of bushes. The sharp branches pulled and tore at her clothes. She landed hard on her shoulder and slid on the loose dirt.

Then gravity took hold again and she was tumbling.

Just seconds later, she sprawled to a stop. Sam flipped over to her back and shook her head, trying to bring the tall hillside she'd just rolled down into focus. Her ears rang and the jungle sounds around her were muffled. She heard the battle as if from far away.

Another explosion rattled the trees at the top of the hill and she knew she had to get back up there to help the Colonel and Teal'c.

Sam pushed up to her feet and tested her limbs. Everything seemed to be okay. Sore, but okay. She started up the hill. The dirt beneath her feet shifted under her weight.

"Uh, guys," Daniel's voice came through the radio from the other side of the wormhole. "Were you planning on joining us anytime soon?"

"We've run into some trouble, Daniel," the Colonel's voice answered before Sam could reach her radio. She felt a rush of relief at the sound of his voice. He hadn't been much farther away from that blast than she had. "Took some fire. Teal'c's right here, but I've lost sight of Carter!"

"I'm okay," she called into her radio.

There was a moment of silence and then, "What's your location?"

"I'm coming up on you now!"

Sam crested the hill and peeked through the brush that had hidden her from view. She could see the back side of the stargate a few yards away. The Colonel and Teal'c were crouched down behind it on the side farthest from her. The Jaffa continued to fire at them. Most of the shots ran straight into the blue puddle in the center of the ring. The SGC must be getting pounded.

The Colonel stepped out from cover to squeeze off a shot at a Jaffa who had reached the DHD. The Jaffa fell and Jack's eyes found her.

"I take that back," he said into the radio. "We're coming through." He waved toward her and shouted. "Carter! Through the gate!"

She nodded and pushed through the bushes, ignoring the heat of the blaster fire around her. She watched her teammates round the Stargate, covering her approach. Though they were both now completely vulnerable, she knew neither would go through until she had.

In five more steps she was there. She plunged into the blue pool even as the pack on her back caught a blast. It shoved her into the familiar cold of the wormhole. Less than a second later she landed hard on the metal grate at the foot of the Stargate.

The Colonel and Teal'c followed immediately… one of them airborne as well. He landed with a grunt, half on top of her, half off. They both rolled farther down the ramp. Staff fire flew through the wormhole, impacting around and above them, and turned the air hot.

"Close the iris!" The Colonel's voice shouted into her ear. He rolled off of her and lay on his back, his eyes on the gate.

Sam heard the grinding of metal as the protective iris engaged. She sat up awkwardly, her head on the downward slope of the ramp, and saw a Jaffa step through just before the metal shield sealed over the open wormhole. Instinct kicked in. She found her gun, raised it, and fired off enough rounds to make the man look like a marionette whose strings were being shaken. He fell dead at the foot of the gate. The wormhole winked out behind the closed iris and an eerie silence fell over the gate room.

Sam lifted her head and caught a glimpse of the damage. The walls were riddled with steaming blackened holes and a full combat ready unit still stood in formation facing the gate.

General Hammond's familiar voice came through the intercom. "Welcome home, SG-1. Do you need a medical team?" The blast shield that had been lowered to secure the control room window during the battle began to retract.

Sam met Colonel O'Neill's questioning eyes, took in the blood at his temple, and shook her head. He turned and looked up at the other two members of his team, who stood over them, and then let his head fall back to the grate. "No, sir. We're fine."

There was humor in the General's voice when they heard it again. "That's good. Get down and check in with Frasier then hurry back for debrief. A lot has happened while you were away."

"A lot?" Daniel asked. "We've only been gone for five hours."

"No rest for the wicked, Daniel." The Colonel pushed up from the ramp with a groan and stood, testing his left knee.

"Who's wicked?" Daniel asked. He turned to Teal'c. "Are we wicked?"

"We are not."

Sam swiveled around so her back was to the Stargate and looked up at the now exposed glass that separated the embarkation room from the control room above. She could see the gate staff, including Sergeant Harriman, sitting in front of the panel of electronics that controlled the gate, the iris and a whole slew of other things. Behind him, she could make out the larger shape of General Hammond. Someone stood beside him. The glare reflected off the glass and made it impossible to make out who it was, but for some reason an uneasy feeling filled her.

"Need a hand, Carter?"

Sam's eyes stayed on the figure for another moment before she pulled her gaze back to look up at her team. She shook her head and stood. Her pack was damaged and wanted to hang from one strap, so she let it fall back to the floor. It looked like a charred mess.

The Colonel glanced at it and gave a low whistle. "I'd call that a close one, Major."

Sam nodded absentmindedly. "Yes, sir."

They all walked down the ramp and handed their weapons to the man at arms who waited at the end.

"I do not believe that planet is worth our efforts," Teal'c said.

"I would have to agree with you there."

"Ah, come on, Jack," Daniel said with a smile. "The ruins didn't have what we were looking for, but that doesn't mean there wasn't _something_ worth finding. With more time…"

"Ah…" the Colonel held up his finger. "Don't get started, Daniel, or I might just have to shoot you."

Sam stopped at the end of the grate and looked back up at the large window. The glare was gone at this angle, but she still couldn't get a good view.

The person next to the General was a man, she could tell. The stature was too large and angular to be a female.

"Earth to Carter."

Sam's attention snapped to where the Colonel stood waiting in the doorway. The other two were no longer in sight.

He smiled. "You coming?"

With one last glance up to the control room, Sam met his smile with one of her own and joined him. "Yes, sir," she said.

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Chapter two will be posted in the next couple days. :0) Don't forget to tell me what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

I'm so happy to have heard from so many of you! I really didn't know what to expect after being gone for so long. It's been a pleasant surprise to wake up each morning to new reviews... you guys are so nice to me! :0) Special thanks to sbz once again for beta reading for me... and for helping push me off my booty to post. Also special thanks to samfan9 for being so generous with time and chocolate (and who also helped with the booty pushing). :0)

I had a request for a brief synopsis of "Do Not Go Gentle" for those who read it, but don't quite remember. No worries. I intend to clue you in on the important details within chapters.

Thanks again for reading and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

**Warning!** No matter how you try, you will never convince me that Nutella is yummy or nutritious.

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**Once the Twilight**

**Chapter Two**

"Come on! Is this really necessary?" Jack put down the blood pressure cuff he'd been fiddling with and watched Janet pull the thin curtain around his bed. "Shouldn't you be pestering Carter? She took a pretty nice tumble out there." The last thing he saw before he was surrounded by white fabric was the amused glint in Carter's eyes.

"I'm fine, Sir."

"Pre-mission, you asked if your booster could wait until you got back, Colonel," Janet said. He was sure she looked just as amused as Carter had. "You're back."

"You're enjoying this far too much."

She chuckled. "Don't flatter yourself." Her eyes narrowed at him before her attention shifted to the vial she held in her hand. She stuck a needle in the top of the bottle and drew up some of the clear liquid. "I have a lot more fun when I get to tell you to turn around and drop 'em." She looked back at him and lifted an eyebrow.

"That's sexual harassment."

Janet rolled her eyes. "Come on, Colonel. If you're real good I'll give you a lollipop."

Jack thought he heard a snicker from the other side of the curtain. "Daniel, wipe that smile off your face." He turned around and put his elbows on the cot, lowering the waistband of his khakis just enough. "Hurry it up. We have places to be."

"About that, Colonel," Carter said. "Were you able to make out who that was with the General in the control room?"

Jack shook his head and then remembered she couldn't see him. "Nope. Probably some hoity-toity bigwig from Washington here to big brother us to death." The thought of having to deal with another of Senator Kinsey's cronies was enough to put him in a bad mood. He pulled up his pants and hooked them shut. "T?"

"I was unable to make out his features, O'Neill."

"I'll bet Janet knows," Jack said. He wagged his eyebrows at the doctor.

She shook her head and pulled the curtain open.

"I'm always the last to know everything," she said, but Jack had a strong suspicion she was lying.

"You wouldn't be holding out on me, Doc?"

She threw him a warning look and turned to dispose of the needle.

He shrugged, reading her loud and clear. "I guess we'll just have to be surprised then, won't we?" He stepped past his team. "Let's not keep them waiting." He turned back to Janet. "If we're finished here?"

Janet nodded. "We're done."

He gave her a nod and led the way out of the drab infirmary into the equally drab hallway. Jack had grown accustomed to the plain gray cement corridors that made up the SGC. It had taken longer for him to push aside the claustrophobia that came from being more than half a mile underground.

He rounded a corner and ran into something unmovable and a little soft. He looked down into surprised blue eyes.

The young woman stepped back into attention. "Excuse me sir, I didn't know you were there."

Jack chuckled. "At ease, Lieutenant," he said. "I'm not quite _that_ fragile."

Lieutenant Jennifer Hailey relaxed... a bit. The corner of her mouth lifted almost imperceptibly. "Yes, sir."

"Settling in alright?" Carter asked at his side. Jack recognized the fondness for the girl in her voice.

Hailey gave a quick nod and rewarded Carter with a full smile. "Yes, ma'am, I am. Thank you."

"Glad to hear it." Jack stepped around her. "Well, as you were." He gestured back the way they'd come from.

Hailey nodded and stepped around them with a quick farewell.

"I hope she finds a team soon," Carter said after she'd left and the team continued on its way toward the elevator.

"She shows promise," Daniel said.

"Still too green." Jack pressed the button and turned back to Carter. "Don't worry… she'll get plenty of off-world experience going out with the survey and science teams."

Carter's eyes lit up and Jack knew he'd stepped into something. "About that, sir, I think I have the perfect thing."

The doors in front of them opened and Jack stepped aside to let a member of SG-3 off. "Do tell."

"Now that we know P3R-141 is a bust, sir," Carter said as soon as the doors closed, "I'd like to see if we can go back to P4X-639."

Jack felt an involuntary shiver run down his spine. It may have been his imagination, but he thought he noticed Teal'c shift a bit. "Why? Three months of playing a lead in the sequel to _Groundhog Day_ not enough for you?"

Carter shook her head. "The device on that planet is the closest we've seen to the one on Velona. I've wanted to get another look at it for some time now."

Jack felt his mood darken. "Yeah, well, the one on Velona didn't exactly pan out, either." He glanced at Daniel, who shook his head. Touchy subject.

"That weapon was capable of putting us ahead of the Goa'uld by leaps and bounds technologically. If we could somehow reproduce –"

"Your Ancient friend warned us not to use that technology. He even went so far as to build a Stargate in your basement to stop us."

Carter sighed. "He did," she admitted.

"And the device on P4X-639 didn't work, either."

"No. It didn't."

"And your egghead buddies... they spent months with that particular paperweight."

"They did." She hurried on before he could interrupt her. "But not since we found the weapon on Velona. Since the ruins on P3R-141 turned out to just be your garden variety ruins instead of the leftovers of another Ancient settlement, the first device is once again the most promising source –"

Jack put his fingers to his temples. "I get it. I get it." He looked up at the ceiling of the elevator. "P4X-639. Again." The doors opened and he stepped out. "And again. And again."

"It's not really that bad, Jack."

"Speak for yourself, Daniel," Jack said. "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little."

"I concur," Teal'c said.

Carter shook her head and opened the door to the control room.

"Dad?"

Jacob Carter turned toward them as soon as he heard his daughter's voice.

Carter stepped quickly toward him and accepted his welcoming hug. "When did you get here?" she asked.

"About an hour before you did," he said. He held her at arm's length and looked her up and down. "Are you okay? That landing looked a little rough."

She smiled. "I'm fine."

Jack stepped forward and extended his hand. Jacob took it and gave it a firm shake.

"Jack."

"Jacob. What brings you to our neck of the woods?"

"I'm playing taxi today." Jacob fell in line behind Jack and Carter as they started up the metal stairs that led to the conference room on the next level. Teal'c and Daniel followed them. "Two days ago a few of us were out scouting a potential rendezvous location for a future mission and we spotted a damaged transport glider. The environmental controls were malfunctioning and the man inside was barely alive. When he came around he asked for you." He looked at Jack.

Jack raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Me?"

Jacob nodded. "He said he needed to find the Tau'ri homeworld... that you were allies to his people and you would know how to help them." He frowned. "He said you owed him a debt."

"Ah, there, you see?" Jack slapped Jacob's upper arm with the back of his hand. "There's the problem. I don't gamble. If anyone owes him anything, it's not –"

They stepped into the conference room and Jack laid eyes on a tall bronzed man who stood on the other side of the long table. He looked very out of place in the generic field khakis he'd been loaned. Jack remembered him bare skinned and much more earthy.

Carter stopped dead in her tracks beside Jack. Her eyes narrowed, but she immediately hid her reaction with a stiff nod and what Jack thought to be a pretty good poker face. Her voice was steady when she spoke.

"Long way from home, aren't you, Galek?"

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When sbz read this, she asked, "He's the skuzzy one who stabbed her, right?" or something along those lines. In case any of you are asking that question... yes. He is the skuzzy one. :0)

Chapter three is coming soon.

Reviews make me happy. :0)


	3. Chapter 3

Welcome back! I'm trying to post at least one chapter a week. This one comes in at day 5. :0) I know there's a lot of talking going on, but I promise lots of action and whump in the very near future.

I want to thank everyone for your wonderful reviews. They make me smile. I'm sorry I haven't been able to respond to all of them yet. I do truly appreciate the time you take to send me your thoughts and support.

I hope you like this chapter. It was a labor of love and the cause of my seemingly never-ending bought of writer's block. I am sooooo happy to be over that.

Thanks again to sbz for being the beta reading queen.

Here we go...

**Warning!** You can pick your nose and you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your friend's nose.

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**Once the Twilight**

**Chapter Three**

Sam fought the urge to turn and leave the room. She stared across the table at a man she thought – hoped – she'd never see again. He was shorter than she remembered and the khaki BDUs hid his bulk. She'd never forget what it felt like to be assaulted by his fists and feet.

Colonel O'Neill stiffened beside her. He took a step closer, though she knew he did so unconsciously. His eyes hardened. "What is he doing here?" he asked. He glanced quickly to General Hammond, who stood in the doorway to his office.

"Stand down, Colonel," Hammond said calmly. He stepped fully into the room and past Galek to take his seat at the head of the table.

"You realize who this is, don't you, sir?"

"He cannot be trusted." Teal'c came up behind Sam. His large presence was so close she could feel the heat from his chest on her back. She took a look to her other side and saw that Daniel had positioned himself very close as well. Whether her team's actions were intentional or not, she fought through mixed emotions: annoyance, gratefulness, anger… and the most unwelcome of all, a little fear.

"I understand the history here, SG-1. I appreciate your discomfort, but Mr. Galek has come to seek our help on behalf of his people. I have already heard what he has to say and I think you will find it quite interesting as well."

Sam's eyes darted from Galek to Hammond again and she purposely relaxed her shoulders. It appeared their guest wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Still, every single self-preserving instinct was on edge.

"I don't understand," Jacob said, a look of confusion on his face. "What history?"

"Don't worry about it, dad," Sam said. She shifted past Daniel to take a seat at the table. The rest of the team followed suit, their guard still up. They flanked her at the table, Daniel and the Colonel in the chairs on either side. Teal'c, on the other hand, sat directly beside Galek.

"So, Galek," Jack said with a roll of his hand, now deceptively relaxed, "We're listening."

Sam could tell Galek was not fooled by the Colonel's demeanor. His eyes narrowed and his shoulders remained stiff. "I see that hostilities remain high where I am concerned," he said. "I had hoped over time your hatred would have diminished."

"Hostility is a good word," Jack said. He steepled his fingers atop the table and a sarcastic smile touched his mouth. "I have a couple more if you'd like to hear them."

"You had to know this would be our reaction," Daniel said, "after what you did to Sam—"

"I _saved_ your woman." His eyes fell on Sam and she fought the urge to shift in her chair. Instead, she met his gaze straight on.

"One single act of kindness completed out of duty to your leader does not redeem the choices that came before," Teal'c said evenly.

"Would someone please tell me what you're all talking about?"

"Galek here doesn't like women in combat, Jacob," Jack said. "He nearly killed Major Carter as punishment for it."

Jacob's face showed first shock, and then anger.

"This is counterproductive," Sam interrupted. She appreciated her team's support, but their antagonism wasn't helping the situation. It was putting her on edge. "Where is Kailan, Galek? Why didn't he come?"

At the mention of his leader's name, Galek's posture changed. The difference was slight, but Sam caught it. "I believe he may be dead," he said.

Sam's stomach fell. Kailan was the real reason she'd survived on their planet.

"The situation grew worse every day after you left," Galek explained calmly. He crossed his arms on top of the conference table, his back straight. "Kailan and I gathered up as many warriors as we could." He shook his head. "There were not many left after our attack on the king's castle."

Jack nodded, his expression grim.

Sam had read the mission brief. Her memories of their time spent inside the castle were hit and miss. There were moments of great clarity and then others that were less than complete. She knew the planet's king had taken SG-1 prisoner in order to trade them to Apophis for the power a couple Ha'tak and some Jaffa could bring him. A Goa'uld in hiding, he'd decided it was time to reveal his true identity and kill off the people who were evidence of what Apophis would consider his weakness… namely, the villagers who knew him as a kind king.

Even though Galek's people had been in conflict with the king — had been enslaved by him in the nearby naquadah mine — they had been more than willing to team up with SG-1 to overthrow him once they'd become aware of what was happening. But it had been too little too late. Apophis was already on his way. It was only with Kailan and a reluctant Galek's help that SG-1 was able to escape through the stargate.

"Apophis was too powerful to fight openly."

Galek turned his eyes to Teal'c. "Most of us were rounded up within weeks and imprisoned or put to death," he confirmed quietly. "All of our people and those who had once followed the king were taken and enslaved in the mines by Apophis."

Sam shook her head. "Apophis is dead. Has been for a while now."

Galek's face lit with surprise. "Are you certain?" he asked Daniel.

Daniel nodded. "He was killed by an enemy Goa'uld."

"I do not understand. The Goa'uld's hold on us has strengthened in recent months." His jaw tightened. "The woman he sent has been especially cruel—"

"Woman?" Sam asked.

"She arrived several weeks ago and now my people suffer." Again, Galek chose to address one of the men in the group… the Colonel this time. Sam ignored her irritation and tried to imagine what woman would have reason to take over operations in the mines. Was it someone they knew, or a new player?

"Does this woman have a name?" the Colonel asked.

Galek shook his head. "We do not know who she is. I have never seen her, though people describe her as beautiful… and her eyes glow when she is angered."

"Goa'uld," Teal'c said.

Jacob leaned back into his chair and folded his arms. "If this mine is a rich one," he said, "there are a number of Goa'uld with female hosts who could benefit from its acquisition. Kali, Amaterasu, Niirti—"

"No. I believe it to be something else." Galek stood and began to pace slowly behind his chair. "The moment she arrived, the woman took many men away from their assignments and sent them into an old part of the mine. She had them begin to dig a new shaft deeper than it is safe to dig. Kailan believed she is looking for something."

"What?" Daniel asked.

"Kailan said it was important to find out. We managed to sneak into the castle. We used the ring in the floor of the bottom level to travel up into her ship in the sky. We did not know how to use her computers, but we were able to find a smaller device that held within it an image; a large machine that reminded me of some Goa'uld devices I've seen, but made of stone rather than metal. Not long after we found it, we were surrounded and Kailan was taken with the others. I managed to slip away and escape in one of their small ships." He stopped pacing and looked at Jack. "What could she want with such a device?"

Sam shrugged. "It's impossible to tell until we know what the device is."

"What is your peoples' next step?" Daniel asked.

"We have none. Our rebellion is crushed. As long as Kailan was there to lead, the people had hope. They would do anything. Now that he is gone—"

"They've given up."

Galek nodded at Daniel. "That is why I left to find you."

"Should we be successful in freeing the Garund from the Goa'uld," Teal'c added, "it is likely another would soon attempt to claim the mines."

"You must help," Galek said to the Colonel. "It is partly your actions that have brought this on my people."

Sam recognized the look that lit the Colonel's face. It fell somewhere between disbelief and anger. "No," he said. "You're in this situation because your people chose to follow a king who was willing to sell them out for a few ships and a little notoriety." He pointed a finger at Galek. "It's not our fault you dragged us into it when you decided to assault and kidnap one of my officers."

"Could you draw the machine you saw?" Sam asked quickly. She pushed some paper and a pen across the table toward his empty seat.

Galek restrained himself from saying whatever it was he was about to say. Instead, he addressed General Hammond. "Is this what _you_ wish me to do?"

Jack pursed his lips angrily. "If this thing you saw really is a machine of some sort, then it's Major Carter who is going to save the day. I suggest you get down off your high horse and do what she says."

Galek narrowed his eyes and glanced at Sam, who waited patiently next to the Colonel, and then took his seat. He reached for the paper, looked quizzically at the pen and tried out a couple scratches on the paper. Seemingly satisfied with the markings it made, he set out to recreate the image he'd seen.

This time he met Sam's gaze when he slid the paper back in her direction.

Sam glanced down at the picture and felt her heart leap.

The Colonel looked over her shoulder and she sensed his surprise. "Is that what I think it is?"

"You know this machine?" Galek asked.

Sam nodded and couldn't keep the smile off her face.

The Colonel sat back with a sigh. "What a coincidence," he said with a grimace. "Didn't you just add one of those to your Christmas list, Carter?"

"What is it?" Galek asked.

"It's an Ancient device like the one on P4X-639." Sam looked over and saw the confusion in Galek's expression. "It was a device built by people who lived long ago. It malfunctioned and caused us all to repeat the same day for around three months."

The Colonel shuddered.

Galek's eyes widened, but he collected himself quickly. "Coincidence?"

Sam nodded. "The planet we were just on was supposed to have one. It didn't."

"What would a Goa'uld want with a device that loops time?"

Sam shook her head. "What wouldn't a Goa'uld want with one?" she asked. "The device we encountered wasn't intended to loop time, anyway. It was basically a big computer that didn't work right." She picked up the paper to get a better look. "For all we know, _this_ computer could do the same thing, or it could hold information, it could be a weapon—"

"And that would be bad." The Colonel took the drawing from Sam.

"I'm surprised there aren't several Goa'uld fighting over the mine already. They've been scrambling to take as many of Apophis's holdings as they can." Daniel shook his head. "The naquadah alone would make the planet a hot commodity."

"Whoever this woman is," Jacob said from across the table, "she'd want the other Goa'uld to stay out of it. Maybe she's taken steps to hide its true worth."

Daniel nodded. "That would work to our advantage."

"I can do some digging to find out if the other Goa'uld are even aware of the planet." Jacob smiled at Sam. "Make sure there aren't any others ready to get in the way."

The Colonel looked at Hammond. "I'm assuming we're headed back to the planet to check out this thing." He slid the drawing past Sam to Daniel.

Hammond nodded. "I spoke with Washington after Galek's initial debrief. The President is extremely interested in this device no matter what its function turns out to be. If it is of Ancient origin it could answer a lot of questions. Galek has already promised us full access and control if we can help his people."

"That may not be possible, sir," Sam said.

"I understand that, Major." Hammond cleared his throat and directed his attention at the Colonel. "Eyes on the prize first. I want you to go in and figure out what is there. If it's something we could use, you're to try to procure it. If it can't be moved and it's clear this Goa'uld is there to stay, I want it destroyed."

"If it is true and Apophis is dead, as you have said," Galek said, "taking control of what the woman wants may give my people back some of the fire they lost with Kailan's capture. They may be willing to fight again."

"The Garund people need our help, ladies and gentlemen," Hammond said. "Mr. Galek has volunteered to guide you into the mines through a back entrance the Goa'uld are unaware of. He will then escort you to the new shaft—"

"Sir," the Colonel interrupted, "with all due respect…" he leaned over the table and lowered his voice a bit. "… but you're asking us to put all our faith in a man I wouldn't share a cab with."

"This is again about the woman—"

"No," the Colonel said, "It's not. It's about a little something we don't share. Trust. I don't trust you. If I'm going to follow you into that mine, Galek, I'm going to need to know you're not going to turn around and try to attack me in my sleep… or a member of my team." He glanced at Carter.

Galek bowed his head. "I hope that in time I will earn the trust you speak of."

"And I really do hope we can in some way help your people… but don't for one minute think that it's because I feel we owe you anything."

Sam had a sudden thought. "I'd like to request we take a science team in with us. I may not have much time to get a look at the device. The more eyes I have—"

Hammond shook his head. "From what Galek tells me, this won't be easy going."

"Then give me Lieutenant Hailey."

"Major, now's not the time to take on a—"

"Padawan?" Teal'c interrupted with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," the Colonel said, "one of those."

"She's been assigned to the team on P4X-639 for the last month and a half," Sam addressed Hammond.

"Not consistently," the Colonel argued.

"She knows the loop device backward and forward, sir. She's a brilliant scientific mind and she's had combat experience."

"One run-in with a few Jaffa her second trip out and an experience with a few over-aggressive lightening bugs do not amount to combat experience."

Hammond shook his head. "I'm going to let you make the call on this one, Colonel."

"Another set of eyes can help us get in and out quickly once we find the device."

"If there even is one."

"And she's dropped the attitude… for the most part."

"Another woman," Galek grumbled.

"I'll keep an eye on her, sir." Sam held the Colonel's gaze for several seconds before he sighed and dropped his shoulders.

"Fine."

She smiled.

"But only because Galek here needs an intervention. Next time we take Siler."

* * *

Can you believe that I just now found out that Siler was RDA's stunt double? I didn't have a clue. I love it when I learn something new.

You know I love the feedback! Chapter four will be up soon and I promise action. :0)


	4. Chapter 4

Welcome back! I am so, so, so sorry this one took so long to post. Real life got in the way and it couldn't be helped. I am aiming for a chapter a week, but this one just didn't make it. Sick child, sick me, lots of work = not enough happy writing time. Anyway, this one is longer than most, so I hope that makes up for some of your wait. I beg your forgiveness. :0)

I love the reviews I've received, especially the "I hate Hailey" ones. Lol. I had no idea she was such a controversial character. I really liked her and thought they should have done more with her. I actually had hoped they'd put her in the cast of SGU when they announced the premise. Alas, it quickly became quite clear that if I wanted to see more of her, I'd have to do it myself.

I'd like to thank sbz again for taking time in her busy life to beta read for me. I've said it once and I'll say it again... she deserves to be paid for this.

And with that... on with the show!

**Disclaimer: **No Tel'tak were harmed in the making of this chapter.

**Warning!** That little whistle tune Darryl Hannah's character spouts out in the beginning of "Kill Bill" is guaranteed to get stuck in even the strongest mind for a minimum of three weeks. I'm not kidding!

* * *

**Once the Twilight**

**Chapter Four**

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened?"

"No," Sam said to her father. He'd been giving her not-so-subtle hints that he wanted to talk since they'd boarded the ship. "It's not important."

"It sure sounded important to me… and you've been avoiding him ever since we left Earth."

Sam shrugged, trying to ignore the worry in his eyes. "I haven't been avoiding him."

"Sam, we're in a two room Tel'tak. If he's in the cargo bay, you're in the flight deck. If he's in the flight deck, you're…" he gestured to their surroundings, "in the cargo bay. It's impossible to pull that off for three days unless it's deliberate."

With a frustrated sigh, Sam put down the weapon she'd been cleaning and sat back against the wall. She drew her legs up and planted her feet flat on the floor in front of her. "What do you want me to say, dad? That I don't like him? That he makes my skin crawl? Fine. I've said it." She crossed her arms. "It doesn't change anything."

Jacob narrowed his gaze. "Jack said he almost killed you. What is he doing here?"

"It's complicated."

"I gathered that. You've all been acting very…" he searched for the right word, "…professional, and I'm trying to honor that." He looked her squarely in the eye. "But it's a losing battle. No one will tell me anything. They all say the same thing; it's your place to explain things, but Sam, you're not talking. I don't even know if I should be sleeping with one eye open."

She sighed. "He's not a danger. _I'm_ sleeping just fine," she lied.

He gave her a knowing look. "Why would the SGC allow someone who attacked one of its officers to walk around free? Why isn't he in a brig back on Earth?"

Sam shook her head. "You know as well as I do that what his people have to offer us far outweighs anything that's happened in our past… and his people need our help. They aren't to blame for what he did."

"And what was that again?"

She looked at him for a long time, trying to decide whether this was even a conversation she wanted to have. She loved her father… felt she could tell him anything. But this situation was already taxing her last reserves. She wanted to be one hundred percent. If her mind kept circling around the hatred she held for their "ally," the team could suffer.

He sat patiently and waited for her to make up her mind. Finally, she glanced up to make sure they were indeed alone. She pulled up the hem of her shirt.

"This is what he did."

Jacob's eyes widened. "Sam." His voice stuck in his throat. He leaned in closer to get a better look at the ugly scar that ran diagonally across her midriff. It was jagged and thicker in places than others. Parts of it looked like the scars of a burn victim, all puckered and discolored. It was not the kind of scar found on a living person.

"His people attacked me and Teal'c. They left Teal'c alone, but Galek took offense to my presence on a military team. He punished me with this."

"Why didn't I know about this? Why didn't you call me? The recovery must have been—"

"It was rough," Sam confirmed. She lowered the shirt and leaned her head against the wall. Its cold surface soothed the headache that was growing there. "And I'd rather just put it behind me."

"Why? I think you should kick his ass."

She smiled. "Is that the General talking?"

He returned her smile. "No. It's the dad." He scooted to sit beside her against the wall. "From the looks I've caught Jack throwing him the last couple of days, I'm sure he'd be willing to help."

She chuckled and shook her head. "It'll be fine. He's not a bad person. He just comes from a different place. He's already been punished for what he did to me and I think he's ready to work together." She thought of the missing fingers on his hand. His leader, Kailan, had cut them off in a ceremony meant to prove to SG-1 that he regretted what had been done. Galek had still remained loyal to him, even after that. "Now that we're allies, I don't think he's a danger to any of us." She met his eyes, hoping she was right. It was hard to imagine an ounce of goodness in a person who kicked a woman when she was down, but if she didn't tell herself that, she didn't think she'd make it through the mission. "He did save my life when it really mattered."

Jacob shook his head. "I still don't like it."

Sam reached for his hand and squeezed it. His fingers were starting to wrinkle, but there was still a comforting strength in them. "I'll be okay."

"I know you will." His expression left no doubt that he meant it. "I just wish I'd never brought that guy to you."

"You didn't know." She shrugged. "And I'm glad you brought him. If there _is_ an Ancient device on his planet, I need to get a look at it."

"You know I'd go with you if I could." He turned to look at the empty doorway that led to the flight deck where the others waited. "I'd like to be able to keep my eye on things."

"I don't need you to watch me."

"I know that. I was worried about Daniel." He gave her a wink.

"Hey, Jacob!" the Colonel's voice interrupted, carried through the open doorway. "Better get in here. Your people are trying to contact us."

Jacob nodded. "Be right there, Jack." He reached out and patted Sam on the shoulder. "I know you can handle yourself, kiddo." He stood and walked to the door. He stopped and turned back to her. "Just don't go out of your way to try and prove it to _them_."

Sam watched him go and shook her head. Uncanny. He saw through her every time. Of her time spent on Galek's planet, it hadn't been his treatment of her that she still occasionally had nightmares about. It hadn't been the fear of death. It hadn't been the king's plan to sell them out to Apophis.

It had been the helplessness. On that planet, for the first time since she'd been a member of SG-1, she'd truly been a burden.

She ran her hands through her short hair and closed her eyes tight for just a moment. Then she took a deep breath, pushed up from the floor, and left the cargo bay.

Her father had taken the seat next to Teal'c in front of the large window at the head of the Tel'tak. The Colonel, Daniel and Galek stood behind them. Hailey leaned against the smaller spherical panel platform that was centered a few paces back from the two chairs. They were all looking at something outside and out of view to the right.

"Are you kidding, Jacob?" the Colonel said. His voice held more than a hint of skepticism.

"No, Jack," Jacob said. "That's her."

Sam stepped forward until she could see out the window. Another Tel'tak hovered nearby. She could see inside its window to make out the two Tok'ra flying it. Well, attempting to fly it. It drifted to the left and dipped slightly as they watched. A patchwork of different colored plates of metal made up the paneling, and abundant scoring covered what she assumed to be the original hull. This ship had seen a lot of battle.

"We're grateful the Tok'ra are willing to give us the ship, dad," she threw the Colonel a warning look. "Its cloak will help us land close to the mine without being detected."

The Colonel raised an eyebrow in his, _I'm completely innocent_ look. "If it even makes it to the planet," he said.

"It needs just a little work that Sam is more than capable to do en route," Jacob said. "Sorry I can't take you myself, but—"

"It's another four days to the planet. I think we'll manage." The Colonel held out his hand to Jacob. "Thanks for the lift."

Jacob took his hand and shook it. "Good luck to you." He looked at Sam. "I hope you find what you're looking for."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

A shrill beeping sound intruded on Jack's light sleep. He lifted the brim of his hat off his eyes and glanced through the dim light at Teal'c who sat beside him in the pilot seat. The lights on the panel in front of them cast shadows across his friend's silhouette. He remembered turning off the lights in the flight deck to make it easier to get some sleep.

He cleared his throat. "What's that mean?" he asked, nodding toward the alarm.

Teal'c reached over and flipped a switch. The sound shut off. "We are approaching the planet," he said. "It is almost time to engage the cloaking device."

Jack sat up and took a look through the window. He knew they were far enough away that he wouldn't see the planet yet, but his eyes searched for it anyway. "Has Carter got it up and running?"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "She and Lieutenant Hailey have continued to work on it through the night. I am not aware of their progress."

Jack sighed. He had hoped all of them would get some sleep before the big day. He stood and stretched, taking in the soft glow of light that drifted through the doorway from the cargo bay. He stepped over Daniel's outstretched legs and spied Galek asleep against the bulkhead.

Conflict personified. He wished he could throw the guy out an airlock and be done with him, but if Carter could deal, then so could he. Still, his reappearance had brought back a whole lot of images he'd wanted gone for good. Carter's bloody footprints they'd followed for over a day to find her. The angry festering wound in her gut. Watching Galek kick her without restraint when she'd fought back.

He'd like to see him try it again now that she was healthy.

Once he stepped through the doorway, he heard hushed female voices at the back near what he liked to call the ship's "fuse box."

Carter had pulled out the panel like it was a file cabinet drawer and lay underneath the jumble of colorful crystals, her knees bent up, feet flat on the floor. Her hands fiddled with something on the underside of the crystal tray while Hailey bent over to work from the top.

They said dynamite came in small packages, and the same was true with Lieutenant Hailey. Despite what he'd told Carter in the past, the young woman made him smile. She had a spunk he could respect. Not unlike her current mentor.

"No," Carter said to her. Her voice held a trace of amusement. "It's the other one. A little to the right." She shifted a bit to get a better angle.

"I think I got it," Hailey said.

"Yep. It should just slide in now."

Hailey picked up a crystal that had been lying on the floor beside her knee and placed it inside the socket in the panel. Instantly, the drawer lit up with sparks. Hailey let out a surprised shout and threw herself back.

Jack rushed forward and grabbed Carter by the ankles. He pulled her out and away from the mess. It let off another volley of sparks before the whole panel went dark.

Carter rolled to her belly and groaned. "That should have worked."

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Carter, please don't tell me the cloak isn't going to work."

She threw him an angry look and pushed up from the floor. "If this thing would just cooperate…" After a quick inspection of the crystals, she let out a relieved sigh. "None of them are cracked, sir. It was just a surge." She reached in and played with something until the panel hummed to life. She pushed the contraption back into the wall and turned to him. "Is Teal'c ready to test the cloak?"

Jack nodded. "Go ahead and try it, T," he shouted loud enough to be heard in the other room.

All eyes moved to the panel to see if they were in for more fireworks. Jack realized he was holding his breath and reminded himself to breathe.

Nothing happened.

"T?"

Carter looked at Hailey and then back at him. She shrugged.

"Teal'c?" A little annoyance tinted his voice.

"The cloak is engaged, O'Neill."

Jack watched Carter's shoulders relax. He smiled at her. "Never doubted you for a second," he said.

"It still has to hold up through re-entry," she said. She bent to put her tools back into a small duffle.

Hailey took a swig from her canteen and sat down roughly to lean against the wall. She looked exhausted.

"How are you holding up?" he asked her.

She sat up straighter and he thought for a minute she might salute. "I could go a couple more days, sir."

He glanced at Carter, whose eyes took on an amused twinkle and the corners of her lips turned up. He hid his own smile. "Good. 'Cause you never know when you may have to." He looked back at Carter. "Dedication," he said. "I like it."

Carter looked as if she may laugh, but then her gaze settled on something over his shoulder and her smile disappeared. A wall went up almost instantly and she turned back to finish putting her tools in the bag.

Jack knew why before he even turned around.

Galek stood in the doorway rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Teal'c asked me to inform you that we are on approach to my world and that there are three Ha'tak in orbit."

"They can't see us," Carter told him. She carried the duffel bag and set it on top of the storage containers stacked along the wall.

Galek shook his head. "I do not understand these technologies," he said. "The first time I saw a ship appear from nothing in the sky I thought it was evil magic."

"At least you got it half right," Jack said. He followed Carter into the next room.

Daniel looked up from his seat beside Teal'c and pushed his glasses up his nose. "We're coming in under the first one now," he reported.

"Any sign they've seen us?"

"Well," he said, "they're not shooting at us. I'd call that a good sign."

Jack rolled his eyes and looked out the window. A large pyramid-shaped ship loomed overhead. Another lay straight ahead. He couldn't spot the third.

"It's moved in behind us," Carter said, almost as if she'd read his mind.

"Anyone else getting a little claustrophobic?"

"Now Daniel," Jack said. "No need to be overly dramatic."

Outside their little sanctuary there was a mass of activity. Squads of death gliders flew in formation. Transport ships rose from the blue tinted atmosphere of the planet below and made their way to the Ha'tak ahead. More Tel'taks exited the bay of the same ship and instantly turned downward.

Silence filled the cabin. Unreasonable as he knew it was, Jack felt as if the slightest sound could alert the masses to their presence. Then it would all be over.

A light started flashing on the panel in front of Teal'c.

"What's that?" Hailey asked, not quite in a whisper.

"Proximity alert," Teal'c answered. He nodded toward the left and an instant later an Al'kesh fell in alongside them.

"Teal'c?" Jack asked.

Teal'c shook his head. "Our cloak is stable. They do not see us."

All eyes watched the ship as it shadowed them. The was thick with tension.

"Carter," Jack said, "Just out of curiosity, how much firepower could this bird handle?"

"Little to none," she answered. "It's practically falling apart already."

He nodded, his eyes still on the Al'kesh. "Good to know."

Without warning, a blinding light lit up the window. Jack threw up his hand to guard his eyes as everyone took an instinctive step backward.

"Are we under attack?" Galek asked.

"No," Teal'c answered. The light disappeared. He pointed to the Ha'tak above. "Ring transport. We almost intercepted the matter stream."

Jack shook his head. Had that happened, whatever… or whomever the rings had been transporting from the planet to the Ha'tak would have appeared on the ring platform inside their little ship. Most likely it wouldn't have been pretty.

Teal'c touched a few buttons on the panel and placed his palms on top of the orange sphere that was used to steer the ship. "We are nearing the entry coordinates."

"Tell me again why we couldn't just go in on the other side of the planet and then fly to the mine the back way?" Jack asked.

"I don't know if the shields will hold through re-entry. This way, if they do fail, we can still probably get the ship down near our target site before we're detected," Carter answered.

"But if they fail up here, we're toast."

"Pretty much," she answered.

Jack nodded. "Just checking."

Teal'c turned the Tel'tak slightly and Jack watched the Ha'tak in the center of window migrate to the left.

The Al'kesh alongside them continued on its previous course and quickly faded into the near distance.

Collectively, they released a relieved breath.

"There appears to be a storm over the landing site," Teal'c reported.

"How bad?" Jack asked.

"Readings reveal heavy rain, lightening… possible hail."

"Just as I told you it would be," Galek said. "The seasons have changed since you were here last."

"What kind of walk are we talking about here?"

"The coordinates I have given will land us within two kilometers of our entry point to the mines, which lies nestled in the valley between two mountains. There will be many trees to shield us from the winds."

"And how long once we enter the mine until we get to the target?"

"A couple of days," Galek answered. "There is much climbing to do and it is still far away. This exit was originally dug by slaves intent on escape and has taken decades to complete. It has been nearly as hard to hide it from the guards as it was to dig. It is not a path for the weak." He glanced at Carter and Hailey and pursed his lips.

Hailey's eyes narrowed, but to her credit, she bit her tongue. The Hailey Jack had seen before her entrance to the SGC would not have been so restrained.

"Good thing we didn't bring Walter, then," Jack said.

"O'Neill," Teal'c interrupted.

"Yeah?"

Teal'c's face was tight. He kept his eyes on the screen in front of them, but his hands had tightened around the orange sphere. "There are four vessels approaching from below. There is no time to—"

The proximity light blinked again, but it was too late. An Al'kesh rose up from below them, seemingly inches from the window in front, its momentum tossing the Tel'tak to the right. Another ship rushed past them, barely missing their right side. The third wasn't so lucky. When it hit them, the sound was deafening.

Jack threw out his hands to break his fall as the ship was tossed. Carter landed beside him. Metal ground on metal and something in the cargo hold exploded. Instantly, they were thrown into a spin.

Jack closed his eyes to fight dizziness and yelled over the whine of the now overtaxed engines. Emergency alarms blared.

"Teal'c?"

"I am trying!" Teal'c's voice was tense as he fought to right the ship.

Jack reached out to grab the bottom of Daniel's seat to avoid sliding backward.

With nothing else close by, Carter grasped his leg and held tight.

Jack couldn't see how the others were fairing, but he heard someone's pained shout from the wall opposite him.

There was a loud crash against the bulkhead.

"That cargo won't come through that wall, will it?" he asked.

Carter shouted up to him, "I think it's strong enough, but I wouldn't make any bets!"

The engines screamed louder, then, and Jack felt them leveling off. Jack relaxed his death grip on the chair and took a look around.

"Anyone get the make and model on that hit and run?" he asked, then more seriously, "Everyone all right?

"I'm okay," Daniel said. He'd fallen to the floor between his chair and the front control board.

"Fine," Carter answered. She sat up and rotated her left shoulder to work a kink out.

Hailey, who'd slid around near Teal'c's feet, stood gingerly. She held her hand to her head. "Nothing an Advil wouldn't cure," she said.

Galek reached the back of his hand up to wipe blood from a split lip. "Perhaps it is not all good to be invisible," he said with a frown.

"I do not know why our sensors did not detect the convoy before it was too late," Teal'c said. "We were lucky to have only brushed against the Al'kesh."

"Brushed against?" Jack asked.

"It was a minor collision," Teal'c said just as his board lit up again.

"Now what?"

Carter stood and looked over Teal'c's shoulder. Her face grew tense. "Knock invisibility all you want, Galek," she said, "but I think we're all going to miss it in a minute."

"The cloak is offline," Teal'c confirmed. "We have been detected."

* * *

Believe it or not, chapter five is almost finished. :0) I love the reviews. They make me very happy. Even more happy than chocolate. :0)


	5. Chapter 5

We're back to action in this chapter! I've had so much fun reading your reviews. :0D I appreciate the time it takes to write them and the supportive thoughts behind them. Thanks for all the well-wishes. I'm feeling much better and am back to a regular writing schedule... well, as regular as it can be as a single working mother. I'm grateful you all are here to read what I write. I don't know what I'd do without this community of readers. You keep me inspired and disciplined. Thanks so much!

Enough with the sappy stuff! On with the oh so minor whump (I promise major stuff in the future, wink). I'm breaking you in slow this time. Hope you have fun.

**Warning! **Never go in againtht a thitheelian when death ith on the line.

* * *

**Once the Twilight**

**Chapter Five**

"Teal'c, turn that thing off!" Jack pointed to the flashing alarm. Its noise was enough to scramble his brain. It figured that things wouldn't go right, he thought. The team should walk around with a disclaimer pinned to their vests: _The Murphy Squad._

Teal'c flipped a switch that blessedly cut the sound out of the alarm. "The nearest Ha'tak has locked onto us with its weapons," he said. "It is charging to fire."

"Carter?" Jack spun around to face his second. She was already ahead of him and on her way to the cargo bay.

"The shields won't hold, sir," she called back without turning to look. "Our only hope is to get the cloak back online. Hailey, I may need your help."

Jack followed the young lieutenant into the cargo bay and watched Carter try to pry the plating from the control panel at the back. He hoped she had some miracle to pull out of her pocket. His experience told him that when luck failed, it was a good thing to have a Carter nearby.

His hope faltered a bit, though, when he saw the damage that had been done to the panel… no doubt the explosion they'd heard earlier. It was blackened like a starburst around the edges of the metal hatch. Carter and Hailey were trying to pull the plate off, but it didn't want to budge.

The ship took a sudden dip and they all fought to stay on their feet. A loud crash sounded from the roof.

Carter pulled her field knife from the sheath attached to her belt and tried to pry the panel off with it. She slid the blade in far enough that it stuck up like a lever. She stepped back and nodded to Hailey, who hit the top of the knife with a hammer she'd taken from the tool kit nearby.

The panel seemed to move slightly.

Another blast hit the roof and sent the girls tumbling. Jack was able to grab onto the door frame to keep from falling, but he felt Teal'c's evasive maneuvers all the way through his gut. He wished he hadn't eaten that second ration for dinner.

Carter and Hailey pushed themselves back up and went back to the knife that was still sticking up out of the panel. Carter took the hammer from Hailey. Just as she brought it down hard on the knife, Jack felt a presence behind him. He turned to see Galek enter the room.

"How can I help?" he asked.

Jack pushed aside the instant flare of anger he felt at the sight of the man and shook his head. "There's nothing either of us can really do. Teal'c's the pilot and the ladies are the brains." He gestured to Carter, who with one last swing sent the metal panel falling with a crash to the floor. "And… the brawn."

Galek's brow furrowed.

Carter knelt and tested the drawer with her fingers. Jack could tell it was hot by her reaction. She pulled the hem of her shirt out of her BDU pants and used the cloth like an oven mitt to protect her hand as she grabbed onto the drawer and pulled it out.

Even from the doorway, Jack could tell by the busted crystals that the cloak was a goner.

Carter turned to him, her face alight with frustration. "I can't help from here," she said.

Jack pursed his lips and turned to go back to the flight deck. "Get our gear," he said over his shoulder.

"Sir," she answered. He heard her begin to dig through their things and then the rasp of an unfastened zipper. "Galek, she said, "make yourself useful." Galek caught the pack she threw him just as Jack passed.

"Teal'c!" he called out. "Get us through that atmosphere as quickly as you can. We need to get away from those Ha'tak cannons and I want some atmosphere to breathe in case of a hull breach."

Teal'c nodded and took the Tel'tak into a dive. Jack grabbed onto the central control panel to keep from falling. He heard their stuff slide in the cargo hold.

"What's the plan, Jack?" Daniel asked from the co-pilot's seat.

Jack raised his eyebrow. "Don't get dead."

Daniel nodded and glanced back out the window, eyes wide, as they narrowly missed a collision with a charging death glider. "I like that plan." When they'd cleared the ship, he looked back up at Jack. "Any idea how we're going to do that?"

"What? Do I have to do everything?" Jack asked

Jack peeked over Teal'c's shoulder. Dozens of little blue dots came together on the edge of a round screen, all moving in the same direction. "Are those headed here?"

Teal'c gave a small nod. "They are."

"Thought so."

Teal'c was forced to pull up out of his dive and take a wild turn right.

Jack felt his stomach flip again. "We're feeling this quite a bit, Teal'c."

"The inertial dampeners were damaged in the collision," Teal'c said. "If we are to escape, it will not be without discomfort." An Al'kesh appeared in front of them. Teal'c banked quickly.

Jack had to grab on to the back of Teal'c's chair to keep from being dragged sideways. He heard the cargo slide into the bulkhead behind him.

"Carter!" Jack yelled. "This is gonna be rough! Get your butt up here!" He had to fight the images of the cargo smashing into her and Hailey and sandwiching them against the wall.

The ship took another dive and Jack felt his feet leave the floor. The bulkhead behind him took another hit.

"Carter!"

"Here, sir!" Carter said. She used the doorway to pull herself into the cockpit as Teal'c took them through another maneuver. She kicked a large duffel in front of her, their vests strung on top of it. Once they'd leveled a bit, Hailey followed dragging more gear. Galek carried their firearms.

"We got as much as we could, sir!" Carter yelled over the engines. "It was like dodging a charging rhino back there!"

"Teal'c! Get us down to the surface!"

An explosion rocked the ship. The right side of the control panel exploded in a myriad of sparks and fire. Daniel let out a yelp and threw himself out of the seat. He landed hard on the floor and crawled on his hands and knees to get away from the fire.

"The Ha'tak has fired upon us," Teal'c said as he fought for control. "It was not a direct hit."

"Galek! Get the extinguisher!" Carter shouted. She pointed toward a small black case near his feet.

He turned and opened it. He pulled out the extinguisher and threw it to Carter. She caught it and sprayed the fire.

Jack turned back to the window. The blue atmosphere was turning to orange as they began their entry.

A second explosion shook the ship. Jack felt himself thrown forward. He flew over Teal'c's shoulder and onto the control panel. He heard the shouts of his team as they, too, were tossed about. He looked up in time to see through the doorway that a fire had sprouted inside the cargo bay.

The window at his back was hot, but the inertia held him firm. He was stuck until they leveled off. He met Teal'c's uncertain eyes for a moment before the Jaffa turned his attention back to controlling the Tel'tak's decent.

Carter pulled herself up by the back of the now empty and very charred co-pilot's seat. "Are you okay, sir?" she asked.

He narrowed his eyes and flashed her a sarcastic okay sign with his fingers. "Peachy, Major!" he growled.

She nodded and turned back to face the room. The gear she'd pushed into the room had slid against the right wall. She went to it, leaning into the steep angle. She threw Daniel and Hailey their vests. Jack's and Teal'c's landed in the chair beside them along with their weapons and packs.

Finally, he felt the ship leveling off. The temperature at his back cooled considerably. He glanced behind him and saw the cocoon of grey storm clouds and the darkness of night. They'd made it through re-entry.

"We are not alone, O'Neill," Teal's said as if to tell him not to relax just yet.

Jack nodded and extracted himself from the panel. The screen in front of Teal'c revealed at least six blips in close proximity directly behind them.

As if on cue, they again took fire. This time, the left wall bubbled inward near Carter.

"Carter! Move!" Jack shouted.

Carter took one look at the wall and her eyes grew wide. She threw herself to the floor just before the wall burst. Instantly, a gale of ice-cold wind filled the cockpit.

Jack felt the air sucked from his lungs.

Teal'c took the ship into another sharp turn. Jack landed hard on his backside. His eyes fell on Carter; she lay splayed against the floor, hair slicked back by the wind, dangerously close to the gaping hole in the hull. She squirmed forward incrementally, fighting for every inch of safety, but made little headway. Galek reached forward, he himself spread out on his belly, and grasped one of her hands. He pulled until she was clear of danger. Jack closed his eyes in relief even as he fought to drag the thin air into his lungs.

"I… can't breathe!" Hailey said from somewhere out of Jack's line of sight.

"I will attempt to get us lower," Teal'c answered.

The ship took another dive. A big dive. Jack turned his body so his feet faced downward. Time seemed to stretch into forever as gravity pulled at him. Their bags and cases slid to the front of the ship and crashed against the panels.

The ship leveled off again and Jack took a deep breath. The air passed through his lungs much more easily. He pushed up to his knees.

The rest of his team was doing the same.

"We have successfully entered the planet's troposphere," Teal'c said. "Four death gliders still follow."

"We cannot land in our originally intended location," Galek said. "They cannot be allowed to discover the entrance to the mine."

Another direct hit rocked the Tel'tak. The orange orb in Teal'c's hands shook. His brow furrowed. "I do not believe that will be a problem," he said. "I have lost lateral steering."

Jack felt his stomach leap into his throat. He knew what that meant. There was going to be only one way down.

"We're going to crash?" Hailey asked. Her face was a mix of fear and control.

The hull above them groaned.

Carter shook her head. "I don't think we'll last long enough to crash." She moved quickly to the nearest escape pod, attached to the right inner hull. She pushed a button and the sarcophagus-like silhouette split down the middle. It opened up to reveal a small space, large enough to stand up in and not much else.

"Uh, Sam," Daniel said. "There are only four of those. Last I counted, there were six of us."

Carter nodded and stepped to the next pod and opened it. Another blast hit; she grabbed the pod's sides to remain upright. "We'll have to pair up."

"Is that safe?" Hailey asked.

"You wanna stay, you're welcome to it," Jack told her. He stepped past her toward one of the pods.

Another explosion tossed the Tel'tak; a loud boom issued from the rear heartbeats later. A fireball shot through the open door between the cargo hold and the cockpit.

Daniel raced forward and pushed the control to close the door.

The engines let out a loud scream and the ship took a dive. Another shot sent the panel in front of Teal'c into fits. It lit up like fireworks in an explosion that made Teal'c jump out of his chair to avoid being hit. "We must leave," he said.

"Will these things be safe ejecting this close to the ground?" Daniel asked.

Teal'c opened the one closest to the bulkhead door. "It will be a rough landing," he said. Jack had a feeling it would be a lot worse than that.

The pull of the wind through the broken hull wasn't nearly as strong as it had been. It blew Carter's short hair as she stepped past it to open the last pod. She'd already strapped her pack to her back.

"Teal'c," Jack said, "you and Daniel will take the solo flights."

Carter shook her head. "No one gets a solo flight, sir." She gestured to the still closed pod in front of her. "This one's not working. It must have been damaged when the hull opened up."

Jack looked at the gaping hole she pointed at and frowned. "Then Teal'c, you're with Hailey." He paused for a second, regretting his next decision already. "Carter," he said, "you're with Galek. Daniel, you're with me." He knew Carter wouldn't argue. But that didn't make him feel any better about subjecting her to the tight quarters she'd have to share on the ride down with Galek. There was no other choice, though. Out of all of them, Carter needed to see the machine. Galek could guide her to it. They needed to stick together.

Carter nodded matter-of-factly and moved to the pod ejection control on a pedestal panel a few steps behind the cockpit seats. "I'll set all pods to eject in ten seconds."

Jack grabbed Daniel by the sleeve and pulled him to their pod. They had to step in sideways to fit. Jack ended up with a face full of brown hair. "This is gonna be fun," he mumbled. "But at least you're wearing that aftershave I like."

"I always aim to please, Jack," Daniel said dryly.

Jack leaned out to make sure the others were nestled snugly inside their pods. The ship shook again and he thought he heard a section of the rear plating separate from the hull. Another boom from the cargo hold rocked them and he felt the Tel'tak dip and spin. He started to fall to the floor but Daniel grabbed him and pulled him back into the pod just before its doors closed around him. Almost immediately, the pod shot away from the ship. He felt the pull of gravity even as the sound of a large explosion rang out. He knew if he had a window, he'd see that their Tel'tak had turned into a fireball. Panic rose in his chest. Had the others made it out in time?

"I know I heard at least one other pod eject," Daniel said, worry clouding his voice. It shook as the pod jostled through some turbulence.

"Yeah," Jack said. What else could he say?

He closed his eyes and turned his concern inward. He knew they'd ejected too close to the ground. He only hoped their landing wouldn't be as rough as he thought it was going to be.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

A loud banging sound woke her. Sam groaned and tried to roll over, but found that she had no room. She was laying on something soft, but she couldn't make it or anything else out through the darkness.

She closed her eyes and fought down nausea. Her head was pounding. She tried to reach up a hand to it, but her fingers encountered something hard in the way. Palms out, she tested the surface.

The pod. She was in a Tel'tak's escape pod. The harrowing escape from their doomed ship and their very rough landing on the planet below all came back to her. She forced herself to relax and ignore the pain in her head. She slowly tested her legs and her arms. She felt a twinge in the shoulder she'd jarred up in the ship, but it was nothing she couldn't live with.

She felt the soft cushion of flesh beneath her and shivered as she remembered who was with her.

She closed her eyes and felt herself rise and fall slightly with each breath Galek took. That meant the pod must be lying on its side.

Twisting slightly, she jabbed her elbow back roughly into the stomach of her travel-mate.

Galek grunted, but didn't stir.

"Galek," she said.

She'd rather be trapped in here with anyone but him. Even Rodney McKay.

She pushed aside her annoyance and tried again. "Galek." She brought back her elbow more roughly. "Wake up."

"Great," she muttered when Galek barely stirred at her prodding. "I thought you were supposed to be some tough warrior." She shifted her hips and tried to reach the button that would open the door. It was on the other side of the compartment, behind her, next to Galek's left shoulder. It was an awkward stretch.

"You know," she said, "this would be a lot easier if you weren't napping."

Finally, her finger found the button and she pressed it. The doors stuttered and she felt a small bit of panic that they wouldn't open. Then, the doors slid apart and she was hit by a blast of freezing cold air. She sucked in her breath and closed her eyes against the wind that rushed into the pod.

Beneath her, Galek stirred.

A fallen tree branch scratched her forehead and she realized it must have been the banging against the pod's doors that had awoken her.

She reached out with both hands and pulled herself up. She tried to look around, but there wasn't any light. The clouds covered the moonlight so that it was barely able to peek through. She could just see the silhouette of a nearby tree.

Sam pulled herself out and over the side and rolled onto the uneven ground. The pod had embedded itself into the soft dirt, the top half laying across a couple of tossed boulders. She stooped for a moment to get her bearings, disheartened by the fact that the ground seemed to tilt beneath her. Gently, she reached up to the sorest spot on her head and felt the stickiness of blood at the edge of her hairline. She frowned.

A moan from inside the pod reaffirmed that Galek would be conscious soon. For a second, she entertained the thought of leaving him there. But she knew that wasn't an option. She needed him to show her to the entrance to the mine. She cursed and shrugged out of her pack. She grabbed her P90 from where it was clipped to her vest and switched on the flashlight.

The sudden brightness from the beam blinded her momentarily, but then she was able to see that the pod had landed inside the shelter of the trees. They were thick, so she guessed the pod had made it to the foot of the mountain range. There was really nothing else to see. All was quiet aside from the whistle of the wind and the sway of the branches around them.

It may not stay that way for long, though. There had been several ships on their tail in the air. If they'd seen where her pod landed, their pilots would have called it in by now. There would be Jaffa out looking.

She aimed the light into the pod and rested it on Galek's face. He threw up his arm to shield his eyes. "The light is too bright."

"Is it?" she asked and aimed it closer to his eyes. "So sorry."

He sat up and glared at her under his shielding arm. She rolled her eyes and moved the light to the side. She could make out a line of blood that had dripped from his temple down the side of his face. It was in the same relative location as her own injury. A glance into the pod showed her the interior had been dented in near their heads. Either they'd been fired upon or the damage had occurred in the crash. Either way, she guessed Galek didn't feel any better than she did.

She moved back when he reached up to pull himself out of the pod.

Once he'd emerged and gotten his bearings, his eyes fell to her and the weapon she instinctively held on him. He raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.

She shrugged innocently. "Habit," she said. "The bad guy gets the business end."

He sighed. "I am not a bad man." He adjusted his pack's shoulder straps.

It was her turn to look skeptical. "All evidence to the contrary."

"Have I not been civil to you and your people since I found you? Have I not helped you?"

She nodded. "You need us. I don't for a second confuse necessity for kindness." She bent to pick her pack up and shrugged it on. "So," she said, changing the subject. "You're here to be my guide. Do you know where we are?"

She shined the light in a circle around them again so he could get a view.

He frowned in the shadows and looked up to the cloudy sky. "It would be easier if I could see the stars," he said.

"The ground seems to slant downward slightly this way," Sam said, indicating a direction perpendicular to their pod's length.

Galek nodded. "That would be west," he said. "We need to travel up the mountainside." He indicated the other direction. "East."

Sam nodded and took a step in that direction.

Galek's arm shot out to block her way. "What are you doing?"

She glared at his arm where it touched her. His commanding posture reminded her too much of the last time they'd gone walking together. "I'm headed to the mine. That's where my team will go to meet with us."

"A woman walks several paces behind a man," he said.

She should have known. "Are you sure you want me at your back?" She waved the muzzle of her P90 at him.

"I understand your dislike for me, but it is of no benefit to us."

"Oh, I'd say 'dislike' doesn't even come close to describing my feelings toward you," she said.

"Regardless," he said. "If I must take care of you for the time being, it would be best if we can be civil."

She frowned. "You know, Galek, you have in one short conversation managed to remind me oh so clearly exactly why I have spent the last seven days avoiding your company." She took a step closer to him and shined the flashlight so she could get a clearer view of his features. "But, you're right, and civil is something I can do. I'm pretty good at it, actually."

He nodded, but didn't change the serious expression on his face.

"I just have one thing I'd like to get off my chest before we go on. I've been holding it back ever since I saw you at the SGC and I think it needs to be put out there if we're going to continue on in any sort of partnership."

"What do you have to say?"

"Just this," she said. And she punched him in the face. Her knuckles popped a bit, but she had the satisfaction of watching him lose his footing and fall to the ground. She knew if he'd been expecting it, she'd never have knocked him over, but that didn't make the experience any less fulfilling. She smiled down at him and wanted to laugh at the sour expression he wore. "Just worry about taking care of yourself. I'm good."

She shook her hand out and lifted her P90 in front of her. She stepped over his legs and moved deeper into the tree-line.

* * *

I have to admit, I got quite a bit of satisfaction writing that last bit. :0) Chapter six is in the works! Hope you enjoyed. You know I love the reviews, so if you find the time... :0)


	6. Chapter 6

Cheers from Denver and Happy October to everyone! I can't believe how fast days move of late. They seem to get away from me consistently. Before I know it I'll be singing Christmas carols. :0) I was truly ecstatic when I saw the response to my last chapter. You guys are the best! And thanks to the person/people who nominated "Do Not Go Gentle" for a Gatefic award. It was a wonderful surprise. Also, thanks to anyone who voted.

I also appreciate your patience with me. I know a lot of people are reluctant to dig into a work in progress because chapters can sometimes come slowly. Some chapters come more easily than others and real life can get in the way, too. I know sbz and I have both had some pretty busy patches in the past few weeks, but I promise I finish writing as quickly as I possibly can and she continually amazes me with her willingness to tackle each chapter despite her grueling schedule. All of this is to say that I am deeply grateful for your willingness to stick with the story. :0)

I hope you all enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **Characters that are not mine walk and talk here. Too bad they don't walk and talk in my living room. Well... a couple of them, anyway.

**Warning! **Never take the red pill. Denial is always more comfortable.

* * *

**Once the Twilight**

**Chapter Six**

"You have a report for me?" The Goa'uld sat straight-backed on her golden throne, her many tightly curled blonde tresses piled atop her head and wrapped with bands of metal and gemstones. The silken cream-colored dress she wore was form-fitting and low cut. Before she had taken this host she knew men had considered her desirable. She'd decided that there was an advantage to finding herself resurrected inside a woman. She'd never been one before, so she hadn't realized how satisfying it was to see how she could use her wiles to get in and play with the big players.

Take, for example, her current alliance. Much like her, he was an old player made new again… much stronger than she, but when one attaches oneself to the power, one can't help but reap the rewards. And if her "master" was right about what was hidden here on this sad little planet, it would be a sure way for both of them to become quite influential.

Not typically one to play it safe and hide in the background, the past few months of deception left her feeling less than satisfied. She knew the one she served felt the same. Still, she had a bit of pleasure knowing that even those who considered themselves his most trusted servants were not aware of her allegiance. Soon, they'd both be ready to announce to the System Lords that they were back in the game, and she would be asked to call upon her acting skills. If her naïve allies knew of their master's loyalty to her, it would be quite awkward. They didn't have time to worry about such things.

She looked down at the three Jaffa who knelt before her. The one in the center nodded. "We have destroyed the renegade Tel'tak. It never made it to ground."

The Goa'uld narrowed her eyes. "I sense there is more."

The Jaffa cleared his throat and nodded. "Two of the pursuing pilots report that they saw at least two escape pods jettisoned from the craft before it exploded, your Majesty."

She felt a hiss rise up within her. She stood calmly, though, and fought to keep her face serene. She took the steps at the foot of her throne as if there were no hurry. "I fail to see as of yet why Apophis appointed you head of his forces here, Ta'gul."

She stepped in front of him and motioned with a finger for him to rise. When standing at full height he was a good foot taller than she. Still, there was fear in his eyes.

"You have failed me far too many times," she said. "First, you allowed that local to steal one of our ships and run to who knows where, then you allowed our prisoner to escape from his prison aboard the Ha'tak, and now this." She raised her hand and he flinched. The golden fingertips of her hand device were no doubt cold against his skin as she ran her two longest fingers down his cheek and jaw-line. A ghost of a smile crossed her lips. "I don't believe you will fail me again," she said.

"No, Majesty," he almost whispered.

"Good," she said. Her fingers continued downward across his chest and further. She walked them now, tiptoeing across his abdominal muscles. "Because if you do…" She pushed her hand roughly through his stomach pouch and wrapped her fingers around his symbiote. He sucked in his breath in instant pain and panic. His eyes widened.

The Goa'uld felt the creature writhe within her grasp and smiled wider. "If you fail me again, your guest here will have to find a new home." She twisted its body, tightening her grip. She had to bend a bit when his knees hit the ground.

"Yes, my Queen," he rasped.

"I'm so glad we have an understanding," she said. She kissed him lightly on the forehead and released the symbiote.

He let out a sigh of relief and fought to remain upright. The symbiote would take a few moments to recover.

She turned her back on the three and put her hands on her hips. "Do we know who was aboard the Tel'tak?"

"No," Ta'gul answered. His breath rasped past his lips. "But we have narrowed down the possible crash sites. We should be able to complete our search within three days. "

"Make it two. Considering what we seek in the mines, it is vital we capture the intruders," she said. "If they are Tok'ra, they could cause more trouble than _you_ can live through." She turned and met his eyes with a warning gaze. Her eyes flashed bright for a moment.

He nodded and stood. "They will be found and if alive, captured," he said.

"See that they are." She walked back up the stairs and retook her throne. She watched the backs of the three Jaffa leave the room and leaned back against the cold metal. It was so hard to find good help these days.

OoOoOoOoO

"Carter. Teal'c," Jack said into the radio for the fifth time since he'd crawled out of his busted escape pod. "Come in."

Daniel shook his head from where he sat on top of a large rock nearby. "They're not going to answer, Jack." His pant leg was hiked up so he could clean the long gash that ran from his ankle to his knee.

Jack read the worry on Daniel's face and fought his own back. "Yeah," he said. He ran his light around the area and pursed his lips. There were few trees to speak of, but rocks everywhere. The ground slanted at a pretty sharp angle, and he thought he saw the shadows of a thicker tree-line not far away down the hill.

Their escape pod lay flat on the ground, a wide hole in it to match the one in Daniel's leg. Jack had walked away with nary an injury, but he was concerned Daniel would struggle with any climbing they may need to do to get down this mountain. Add to that his worry for their teammates and it called for a pretty grumpy mood.

"It's not as bad as it looks," Daniel declared. He finished up on his leg and reached for the medical gauze he'd pulled from his pack.

"It needs stitches," Jack said. Another glance at their broken pod and he shook his head. He raised the radio to his mouth one last time. "Carter."

Only the crackle of static answered him.

"They could have landed within 100 miles of the drop site," Daniel said. "Our radios don't have that kind of range."

"I know that." It wasn't the distance that sent his stomach churning. It was the not knowing. Had they gotten away before the Tel'tak exploded? Had they avoided being shot from the sky? Had they survived the rough landing?

And if they had?

He pictured Carter alone with Galek and wondered if he'd made the right decision. A few drops of rain fell on his face. He looked up and his mood darkened further.

Daniel pulled the leg of his pants down and stood. "Your poker face is slipping," he said. He limped over to Jack and crossed his arms.

Jack shook his head. "It's this planet," he said.

Daniel nodded and stared at the ground a moment. "Bad memories." He glanced up at the starless sky and pursed his lips. "But that's all they are. Things are different now."

Jack met his friend's eyes. "Then why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

"Uh," Daniel said with a slight smirk, "Could it be that we were shot from the sky? The impending long walk to the mine? My leg? The radio?"

Jack smiled. "Alright, Daniel. I get it." He turned and headed downhill toward the tree line.

Daniel followed closely behind. "The fact that Teal'c said, '_I do not feel this mission will end well_,' right after Jacob left with the Tok'ra?"

"I said, I get it," Jack grunted. He would never tell Daniel, but he thought his impression was dead on.

"How about the fact that there's a woman Goa'uld out there somewhere and she's probably got all her bad-guy Jaffa searching for us by now? Or that it's about to rain on our parade?"

"Daniel."

"Yes, Jack?"

"Shut up."

The clouds opened up and rain began to pour.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Sam rubbed her hand across her face to brush off the water that streamed over her. She hadn't seen weather this angry in a long time. The wind pushed at her; forced her back against the tall dirt bank that shielded her from sight. "I count six," Sam said loudly enough to be heard in the downpour. She glanced over to Galek who looked out over the top of the shelf. It was hard to see through the rain, but a few of the Jaffa they spied carried lights on them. Their silhouettes stood out against the swaying backdrop of the trees.

"There are three more in the distance," Galek said. She thought she heard a frown in his voice, but she couldn't see his features.

"How do you know that?" She poked her head up long enough to get another look and blinked to get rid of the fat drops of rain that rested in her lashes.

"You did not?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Well, if they come any closer, we'll be able to tell what aftershave they use."

"What is aftershave?"

"Nevermind," Sam said. She ducked down again to avoid the sweep of the enemy's light as its owner came closer to their position. The Jaffa used his staff weapon to brush aside bushes and low braches just in front of the shelf. A rough gust of wind blew through and took her breath away.

Sam gripped her P90 tighter. The rain made it slippery in her hands.

The Jaffa got as close as the bush – a little less than a foot away – and shone his light in their direction. He must not have seen that the ground took a sudden drop, though, because he turned and walked back to the others. "There is nothing here," he said. "Move on."

The group trudged through the trees to their left. Sam felt her shoulders relax and she turned to sit with her back against the dirt wall. While they'd hidden, a small puddle of muddy water had gathered beneath them. She ignored it and leaned her head back. The pain of her headache was less than when she'd first awakened inside their escape pod, but she allowed herself to give in to the dull throbbing for an instant.

"We must find shelter until morning," Galek said. He stood above her and she heard him switch his light on.

Sam nodded. "I know." She opened her eyes and heaved herself to her feet. "Got any idea where we can go?" She turned on her own light and let it shine into the trees in front of her. She couldn't feel her face or fingers anymore.

"I do not know precisely where we are," he answered. He grimaced and shook his head. "We move in the right direction, though. The slope of the mountain is clear."

"At least there's that. Up and at 'em it is, then." Sam attached her gun to her vest and reached up to the top of the dirt shelf. The mud oozed between her fingers, but it was packed solid enough to allow her to pull her body up. Her boots found purchase on the slant of the dirt wall and she was able to heave herself to the top of the shelf. She rolled and came up to a crouching position immediately, weapon in hand.

Her scope light bounced off the reflective surface of the trees, though muted by the heavy rain. Nothing was there that shouldn't be. Galek came up beside her, also ready for trouble. He quickly scanned the area and stood to his full height.

Sam followed suit and eyed the bushes around them. There had to be somewhere to bunk down for the night. She moved in the opposite direction than the Jaffa had gone, and resolutely pushed the weather and her chattering teeth out of her mind.

She didn't know how long it took, but finally her eyes fell on a gathering of brush and low-hanging trees clustered tightly together. "This'll have to do," she said. The shrubs would shield them from the brunt of the weather, even if it wasn't ideal cover. She doubted the Jaffa would come back this way since they'd already been through once tonight.

Galek nodded.

Sam moved to the bushes and knelt down. They'd have to crawl inside. The bushes' branches were packed too tightly together to walk through them. She lay down on her belly and pushed forward under the branches. Mud splashed up into her mouth and thorns scratched her arms and face, but when her hand encountered something soft and moving she couldn't prevent the small shout of surprise from escaping her lips.

"What is it?" Galek asked.

"Nothing," she grumbled, pushing aside her annoyance. "Just a snake." She grabbed up the serpent. It hissed its anger at her. "Sorry to intrude on your home, but I'm cold," she told the animal before tossing it out behind her. She crawled further into the brush and found a nice alcove in the center.

Sam sat down and was happy to discover that she didn't even have to hunch. The branches were a good inch above her head. She shrugged out of her pack and set it down beside her.

Galek's head appeared from her vacant crawlspace, followed by his shoulders. The space was much less comfortable once his bulk filled it. He, too, took off his pack and rubbed his hands together to warm them.

Sam wondered if there wasn't another place nearby to spend the night. Instead of entertaining the thought, she placed her gun in her lap, well within reach, and dug into her pack for a meal bar. The wrapper rustled as she opened it.

Galek searched his pack and pulled out his own meal. He unwrapped it quickly and took a large bite. His brow furrowed instantly and his chewing stopped.

"Don't like it?" Sam asked, taking a bite of her own bar.

Galek forced himself to finish the bite in his mouth and swallow it down. Sam heard the audible gulp from where she sat.

"It is fine," Galek said. He took another bite as if to prove a point.

Sam finished her bar in a couple of bites and put the wrapper back into her pack before she reached for the radio attached to her vest. "I think it's time we tried this again."

She depressed the talk button and, conscious of their surroundings, pitched her voice low. "SG-1," she said. "Is anyone out there?"

She let go of the button and listened to the static for a moment before trying again. "SG-1."

Again nothing.

"We cannot be sure they survived," Galek said.

She threw him a dirty look. "They survived." She let go of the radio and shifted her pack behind her so she could lean on it. Her cold fingers tugged the zipper on her jacket up to her neck and she tucked her hands into her pockets. "There are plenty of reasons for them to not answer."

Galek frowned at her, but didn't argue. It was clear that he had less faith in her team than she did. He didn't know them, though.

"You should get some sleep," he said. "I will remain awake to watch for the enemy."

She chuckled humorlessly. "I don't think so," she said, "but thanks for the offer."

"You do not feel I am capable of keeping you safe."

"You are a real piece of work, aren't you?"

"I do not know what this means."

"It means that I will get plenty of sleep once we meet up with the rest of my team." She pulled her hands out of their pockets and rested them on top of her weapon to make her point.

Understanding lit his eyes. "You do not feel you will be safe with me in your sleep," he said. "But it is not the Jaffa you fear."

She shook her head. "Fear has nothing to do with it, Galek," she said. "It's a matter of trust, and you don't have mine."

"Just like your superior, you doubt my loyalty." He frowned and touched his jaw. "I thought we were past that."

"No. We're not past that." She nodded at the bruise that grew under his fingers. "I just promised we'd get along. I never said I'd let my guard down." She sat up straighter and gave him a direct look. "I can't imagine that would surprise you."

He met her eyes for a moment and then sighed. "I suppose that it does not," he admitted. "Were you a Garund woman it would, but I have decided I cannot think of you as if you were." He drew his gaze to her military boots and dirtied BDUs. "But when I think of you as a man of my tribe," he said, "your reactions begin to make sense."

"How nice," Sam said. She really couldn't think of anything else to say.

They fell into silence and Sam tried to distract herself by thinking through the schematics of the time loop device she'd memorized. She tried not to consider her team out there somewhere… she hoped. She really didn't want to entertain the idea that some or all of them hadn't made it safely to the planet's surface.

Galek shifted again in an attempt to make himself more comfortable.

She glanced up and noticed that he'd pulled out another ration bar and was grimacing through it. "Just because I'm not going to sleep doesn't mean you can't."

"I am not opposed to that idea," Galek agreed, "Seeing as how you refuse to see reason and sleep the night." He finished the bar and slipped the wrapper into his pocket.

"Well," she said, "let's not both be unreasonable, then."

Galek nodded and lay down, using his pack as a pillow. "I trust you will alert me should the enemy return."

"If I think of it." She smirked.

She ignored the annoyed frown he threw her before rolling to his side. He was asleep almost immediately.

Sam turned her thoughts back inward and tried to keep her eyes from drifting toward him.

"The devil you know, Sam," she mumbled.

* * *

Thanks again for reading! Reviews make me smile, as does watching "Dogs 101" on the Animal Planet. I love hearing your thoughts. :0)


	7. Chapter 7

Bet you thought this would never post! It's been a real busy time for both me and sbz so this one took longer than usual. I want to send a huge thanks to sbz for her continued beta work and all around support. I'd also like to thank you guys for those wonderful reviews you wrote for the last chapter. I enjoyed reading them bunches!

I had lots of fun writing this chapter. In many ways Jennifer Hailey gets to act as another original character. She was only in two episodes in the show so there's not a lot to base the character on. I loved her personality, though... like Carter mixed with a defiant spunk. I plan to explore her back-story as I imagine it could have been in further chapters. For now, I just want to get into her shoes a bit. I find they're fun to wear. :0)

Anyway, enough chit chat... you've had to wait long enough. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

**Warning!** Wearing a dress made of meat is not fashion forward.

* * *

**Once the Twilight**

**Chapter Seven**

Jennifer Hailey jerked awake. She shot up to a sitting position, heart pounding, and took in her unfamiliar surroundings. Where was she? Her eyes drifted from the pile of colorful linens mixed with soft animal furs under and around her to the canopy of drapery hanging from the walls. Soft light poured from several small lanterns that hung from the ceiling of the room-sized tent . Rugs covered much of the ground, overlapping each other like a dropped deck of cards. A small pit ringed with rocks and a screen, under which a fire crackled, occupied the center of the room. Directly above, a hole had been cut in the roof to allow the smoke to escape. Rain pelted the exterior of the tent, but she was dry and warm under the shelter despite the random drops that fell through the hole and sizzled in the fire.

_Where am I?_

She reached for the gun that should have been attached to her vest. No gun. No vest. In slight panic, she scanned the floor nearby. Nothing.

"Great," she muttered.

No Teal'c, either.

She reached up to rub her temples and closed her eyes, her mind playing back recent events. They'd ejected from the exploding Tel'tak. She remembered the horrifying feeling of plummeting to the ground inside that tin can of an ejection pod. She'd been pushed back against Teal'c's bulk, and he'd wrapped his arms around her shoulders to keep her from being jostled as the Death Gliders fired at them. She remembered the fear of knowing there was nothing they could do to defend themselves. But what had happened after that?

She shook her head and opened her eyes. Maybe they'd crashed and been discovered by the Jaffa on the planet. Maybe this was a holding cell they'd put her in until they could move her to a more secure location. She'd never met a Jaffa besides Teal'c before, but this place didn't fit her image of an encampment full of Teal'cs. It was too… earthy; like some weird blending of _The Arabian Nights_ and _Dances With Wolves._

A loud burst of thunder crashed nearby and she jumped. The accompanying lightning flash illuminated the silhouette of a tall figure standing just in front of the tent door. A guard.

"So, not just a guest, I guess." She hated it when she was right.

Her muscles complained when she stood, but not bad enough to convince her to stay put. She needed to get out of this tent and find Teal'c. Unpleasant thoughts spun through her head; was he hurt? Dead? Maybe he'd gotten away. If he had, what did her captors have in store for her?

She narrowed her eyes. "Whatever it is, they'll get more than they're expecting."

The ground under the rugs was hard-packed. Clumps of weeds and rocks peeked out where they didn't cover, typical of the high deserts on Earth. She moved behind her "bed" and crouched down to dig into the dirt. It didn't take her long before she found what she was looking for. Clutching the sharp rock, she stood and kicked the dislodged dirt back into the small hole she'd created. The rock went into her pocket.

A sound outside the door drew her attention, and she rushed back to the bedding on the floor.

She'd just settled back down amidst the blankets and furs when the flap was pulled aside and a woman entered. She wore a short skirt made of dark animal skins and a pair of warm looking furry boots. Another skin covered her shoulders and head, this one white with a mixture of black stripes and spots. She took the hood down and her long black hair fell forward to cast her face in shadows. Her posture didn't seem threatening and when she pushed back her hair with a finger, she smiled. A pleasing aroma drifted from inside a bowl she held and Jennifer's stomach growled.

The woman bowed and held the bowl out to her. "Do not be afraid," she said in a quiet voice. "The food is good. You must regain your strength after your ordeal."

Jennifer took the bowl and sniffed at the stew. Her mouth watered. "What do you know of my ordeal?"

"I know you fell from the sky," the woman said. Her hands clasped in front of her and she smiled sympathetically. "Our scouts found you and your friend before nightfall and brought you back here."

"My friend?" Jennifer placed the bowl on the ground and stood. "Where is he?"

She must have stood too quickly because the room suddenly took a dip.

The woman stepped forward quickly to grab her arm and guide her back to her bed. "Do not be too quick to stand."

Jennifer didn't tell her she'd stood just fine on her own just minutes before. Her teeth ground in annoyance at finding herself so weak.

"Your body will be very sore for days, I imagine," the woman said. "The vessel we found you in was quite damaged."

"Where is my friend?" Jennifer repeated as the room began to right itself. The woman seemed nice enough, but she was in no mood to chat.

Regret spread on the woman's face. "Oh, I am sorry, miss, but your friend was seriously injured. We are not sure he will live through the night."

Anger flooded through her and she fought the urge to lash out at the woman. "Then what are we waiting for? Take me to him. Maybe I can help." She stood again. This time the room stayed firmly planted.

The woman put a calming hand on her shoulder. It only resulted in annoying her further. "You must eat first," the woman said. "You may not go to your friend just yet."

Jennifer raised her chin in defiance. "Then I'm a prisoner."

The woman's eyes widened. "No." She shook her head. "You are a guest."

"Then why can't I leave? Where's my gun?"

"Our leader wishes to speak with you shortly," the woman said with a reassuring smile. "He will answer all of your questions."

"Who?"

"He is your friend," she said. "He prevented our men from killing your Jaffa companion when they saw the symbol on his forehead."

Jennifer's eyes narrowed. Friend? She didn't have any friends here unless you counted the members of her team.

"Take me to him, then." She stepped toward the doorway, but the woman held out her hands and shook her head.

"Stay, please," she said. "He will come to you." A smile lit her face. "Eat. Rest. He will be here soon."

"How am I supposed to rest when you tell me my friend is sick and won't let me see him?" She couldn't keep the anger out of her voice, but she let herself be led back to her bed and sat down again.

The woman didn't seem surprised. "Our leader is with your friend now. He wanted to make sure all was done to make you both comfortable." She backed toward the doorway. "It will not be long now."

"Yeah, thanks," Jennifer said and lay back against the pillows.

The woman nodded and slipped through the doorway.

"For nothing!" She didn't call it loudly enough that it could be heard outside over the rain. It showed quite a bit of restraint, she thought.

Shaking her head and crossing her arms, she considered escape. She supposed she could crawl out under the edge at the back, but she didn't really feel like it at the moment. It was possible these people were on the up and up… no matter how backwards they appeared to be.

With a sigh, she picked up the soup again and took a bite. It was still warm with chunks of vegetables she'd never seen before. It actually tasted pretty good. It was certainly better than the ration bars in her pack.

Her pack.

She spied a small square of green peeking up at the foot of her makeshift bed. She put the bowl on the ground and rolled forward onto her knees. She stretched to grab the thick fabric and pulled hard. Her pack, lighter than it should have been, didn't give nearly the resistance she'd expected. It practically flew up on top of the bed and spilled out beneath her. She rolled back to a sitting position and dug through the items. Nothing she could have used as a weapon had been left inside. She didn't even have her flashlight.

Great.

In frustration, she backhanded the bowl of soup and sent it bouncing across the floor. Stew splattered against the dirt. Before the dish stopped clattering, she'd grabbed a ration bar from her bag and ripped it open. She was munching on it and trying to calm herself when the flap of a door moved aside again.

The man who entered was tall, lean and angular. And he wore almost nothing. She frowned. Wasn't it cold outside? Rain beaded on his bare arms and chest. His long hair stuck to the sides of his face and lay drenched on his shoulders. The pants he wore were made from the same kind of animal the woman had worn.

Jennifer sat up and wrapped her arms around her upturned legs. "And you must be the leader," she said.

The man's chocolate eyes settled on her, filled with curiosity. He gave a short nod. "I am."

"Good, 'cause I have a beef to air. I've been told I'm not a prisoner and I'm not buying it."

The man frowned. "I must apologize," he said. "I merely wanted to make sure you were well fed and rested before the evening passed." His eyes fell on the upturned bowl. "Did you not find the meal satisfying?"

"It was _yummy_." She pushed herself up to her feet and stuck her hands into her pockets. Her left one palmed the rock. "Where's my friend?"

"He rests within the tent beside this one," he answered. "I must apologize. Our intentions have been misinterpreted." He bowed apologetically. "We are not accustomed to Earth women."

Jennifer stiffened. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He took a step back and put up his hands defensively. "I apologize. I did not intend to offend. I merely meant to say that I should have known you would not be satisfied to be served." He bowed slightly. "Let us start again and try to forget our unfortunate misstep." He held out his hand to her. "My name is Kailan."

Her eyes narrowed and she ignored the hand. She'd heard that name before. "Aren't you supposed to be a prisoner or dead or something?"

He tilted his head inquisitively, but didn't voice any questions. "I was able to escape a few days ago and sought shelter with my people here."

"Yeah, well, it's not the service I mind so much," she said, taking his hand and shaking it. She nodded toward the door. "It's the bodyguard."

Kailan followed her eyes to the closed flap and then looked back at her, eyebrows upturned. "You must understand that though my intentions toward you are peaceful, I could not be sure you would reciprocate given our last encounter with your people."

Jennifer shook her head. "I don't know much about your last encounter and I don't much care if you think I'm a threat." She knew she should reign her attitude in a bit, but her skin itched with claustrophobia and the feeling that she was more in the dark now than she'd been during their long ride from Earth. Her shoulders squared and she looked him straight in the eye. "I may just become one, though, if you don't take me to my friend."

This earned her a smile.

She fought the urge to throw the rock at him.

"Teal'c has not yet awakened."

"Then how do you know his name?"

"It is not the first time we have met." He crossed his arms and smiled again. "But, as I said, it was not the best of situations last time." He motioned to the tent flap. "I will take you to him as you ask."

She stepped forward cautiously. Something told her she shouldn't trust this man too easily. Her fingers grasped the rock more tightly within her pocket.

She made it three steps and was directly in front of Kailan when he reached out and grabbed hold of her arm.

His grip was gentle, but firm. She stiffened and tried to jerk away.

He tightened his fingers and met her eyes, his head shaking slightly. "I do not wish to make you distrust me more," he said, "but I do not want to be attacked while I guide you." He tugged her arm until her hand came out of her pocket. His long fingers turned her palm up, took the rock, and tossed it aside.

She threw him mental daggers, and this time his smile held a hint of regret.

He said nothing, though,, and gestured for her to leave the tent. She did, and once he, too, had stepped outside, he waved her behind him to lead the way through the rain to the next tent. It sat about a hundred yards away between two tall trees. Once they reached the tent, Kailan held back the flap so she could enter. She gave him one last glare before she stepped inside and wiped the water from her face.

It was dark. The only light shone dimly from a couple lit candles atop a small tray next to the "bed." Jennifer's eyes fell to the still form that lay amidst the furs and blankets. His dark skin was chalky pale and his breathing was labored. She could tell even from this distance that he wasn't in good shape. Worry filled her, and she stepped closer and dropped to her knees beside him.

Now that she could see up close, she couldn't stop the small gasp of surprise that rose up. Blisters and cuts darkened the right half of Teal'c's face. His eyelashes were singed and his eyebrow missing on that side, as if he'd been in a fire. There was some kind of gel covering the mess. The people here had obviously tried to treat him. She let her gaze fall to the rest of his body. His shirt had been removed and his right side was covered in bandages, his arm tied up against his torso with the thin white material.

Jennifer knew the Colonel had paired them together so he could act as her as protection. He hadn't trusted her enough to go with Galek or Dr. Jackson. Part of her had been grateful for that. She didn't have a lot of experience off world, and none of it combat. This Jaffa had pretty much seen it all. Now it looked like she'd be on her own. She must have said something out loud and the voice that answered made her jump slightly.

"I will be fine, Lieutenant Hailey," Teal'c said, his eyes still closed. If she hadn't seen his lips move, she'd have thought she'd imagined it for how still he was.

"They told me you were dying."

A slight smile. "My symbiote has already healed much of the damage and continues to do so."

She couldn't imagine that any creature that lived inside him could fix this kind of damage, but she caught herself nodding anyway. "What's the plan, then?"

This time he opened his eyes and turned his head so he could see her. Blood beaded atop the gel they'd put on his open wounds. "We are among friends here," he said.

She shook her head. "Are you sure? These are Galek's people, right? I thought they were dangerous… what they did to Major Carter—"

"These people are not to blame for what happened to Major Carter, aside from Kailan. I do not believe he is a danger to us now. The men who were responsible work now within the mine or are dead. They will not harm us."

Jennifer sighed and sat back on her haunches. "What about the rest of the team? What if they're hurt or worse—"

"They are strong," he said. "When I am well enough, we will meet them in the mine. Until then, we remain here." He closed his eyes and settled back comfortably. "This may not be easy for you, however."

"Why not?"

"Since we will be here awhile it would be best for you to adhere to the customs of these people."

Jennifer leaned back and gestured with her hands. "Uh uh. No way am I bowing down and kissing that guy's ass."

Teal'c's eyes opened again. "Speaking respectfully and doing as he asks will suffice."

She crossed her arms. "You want me to be weak."

"Respectful," he corrected.

"A mouse."

"An ally." He frowned. "We may need these people to help us with more than food and shelter. It would be best not to ignite any bridges."

"I understand," she said, jabbing a finger at the unharmed side of his chest. "Just don't expect me to put on any skimpy skirts."

"I am sure Kailan will understand." He closed his eyes again. "Now, I must kelno'reem. My strength wanes."

Worry flooded her again. From what she'd heard and seen, he was not the type to admit weakness. She nodded and mumbled a "feel better" before she stood and moved to the door.

Kailan waited for her just outside. The rain seemed to have stopped. "I trust you are satisfied," he said.

Jennifer nodded. "He doesn't look so good."

"No," he said. "He does not."

"He says we may be here for awhile."

He seemed happy to hear that the Jaffa was awake. "And you are welcome to stay. We are happy to provide shelter and food." He gave her a knowing look. "If you are not opposed to our stew, that is."

She successfully fought the urge to smile. "It'll be fine. Thank you."

He nodded, satisfied, and looked at her dirty BDUs. They were torn across the right shoulder and down her leg. "And we will find you something else to wear."

She pursed her lips and bit her tongue. "Great."

He seemed to miss the sarcasm in her voice. He smiled and turned back toward her tent. She had almost caught up with him when he stopped and turned. "I apologize, but I must ask you to stay several steps behind."

She fought the short response that popped into her head. Teal'c had asked her to behave. She nodded stiffly and fell back a step.

This seemed to satisfy Kailan. He turned back to lead her to her tent and called over his shoulder. "The last time Teal'c graced my presence, his team had a different female member. Her name was Sam."

"Still does. She's here on the planet. Somewhere."

Kailan stopped suddenly and turned, a grin erupting on his face. "So she survived!" He looked up to the dark sky. "I knew she would."

Jennifer watched him with curiosity. It surprised her that he would have such a reaction.

Seeing the question in her eyes, he turned back toward her tent and continued to lead the way. "I sense we have much to discuss."

She nodded. "Yes," she said. "Much."

* * *

Hope you liked it. Chapter 8 will post within a week... I promise! Don't forget to review. :0)


	8. Chapter 8

Okay, so it was a little more than a week. It is a long chapter, though. :0) Thanks again for the wonderful reviews. I can't wait to read them with each chapter I post.

**Warning!** Too much Halloween candy can cause many hours getting to know your dentist. Maybe he's a nice guy. Maybe he's not. All I know is he went to the school of torture.

* * *

**Once the Twilight**

**Chapter Eight**

"Up or around?" Sam asked, looking up at the large cliff-face that had sprouted in front of them. She glanced back at Galek and frowned.

"It will take days to go around," Galek said. "Up is best."

Sam sighed. Great. She looked back up and put her hands on her hips. "Are you sure? You know where we are?"

Galek gave her a look that she couldn't quite read. Frustration mixed with forced patience, maybe? "I know where we are," he said. "This wall is usually covered with water this time of year."

A waterfall? Sam stepped back a bit in surprise. She let her eyes take in her surroundings again, this time noticing the indentations in the dirt and the way the trees were discolored halfway up their trunks. Both were indications of flooding. "Where's the water?"

"The rain has not yet created enough to run off the mountain and cause the lake to spill its contents."

Sam nodded and cast her eyes up at the clouds that were quickly rolling in. "And if that opens up on us…"

Galek smiled. "We should climb quickly."

Sam couldn't stop the corners of her mouth from lifting. "Nice." She tightened the straps on her backpack and stepped up to the wall. She reached out and tested a rough edge of rock that jutted from it. It was firm. The slope wasn't the steepest she'd ever climbed and there were even plants that jutted out periodically. Piece of cake.

Galek put his hand on her shoulder. She jumped slightly and mentally kicked herself for it. Annoyed, she turned back to him. "What?"

"I believe there is rope in my bag," he said. "If you wait, I will fashion a harness for you." His eyes lifted to the wall and back to her. "I could then climb up to the first ledge and lower it down to you."

Sam raised her eyebrows. "You want to pull me up the cliff?"

"It is my duty," he answered.

Sam shook her head and bit her tongue for what felt like the thousandth time today. Without a word, she turned back to the mountain and grabbed her first handhold. She pulled herself up with little effort and found purchase with her feet.

"I have offended you again."

"Should be old hat by now." She reached up with her other hand and made a few inches progress.

She heard him sigh.

She closed her eyes and tried to be more understanding. It was easier to do when she didn't have to look at him and remember. "Don't worry about it," she said. "Come on."

There was a moment of silence while she pulled herself further up. Then she heard the shuffle of rock as he took hold of the wall.

OoOoOoOoO

"What do you think it is?" Daniel kept his voice low in case they weren't alone. Sweat glistened on his forehead and he could feel the tension in his shoulders to match the pain in his leg.

They'd been walking all morning after spending a rather unpleasant night nestled down between a few tall boulders that didn't quite block the rain. Up here on the mountain, there hadn't been much in the way of shelter and Jack, having taken the first shift, had awoken soaked and grumpy. His inability to reach Carter or Teal'c on the radio had made his mood even worse.

"I don't know," Jack said. "Doesn't look like it belongs here, though." He lay on his belly beside his teammate, hidden behind some tall grass.

Ahead of them sat an unnaturally split peak of rock nestled in the face of the mountain. Its two pieces stood about thirty feet high, as if the hand of God had reached in and parted the rock as He had parted the Red Sea. Hidden between the pieces, in the shadow of the mountain behind, sat a room-sized structure. It was the perfect hiding place for something you didn't want found. If they hadn't been right on top of it, they'd have never known it was there. Daniel guessed it would be just about invisible from above.

"It looks clear to me," he said. He wrinkled his nose and squinted against the sunlight.

Jack nodded. "I thought so, too."

The building was deserted. They'd been watching it for at least twenty minutes and not so much as a weed had moved.

Jack pushed himself up from their hiding place and started to walk toward the structure, his gun clutched at the ready.

Daniel followed, though more slowly, growing more curious the closer they got to the building. "It doesn't look like anything the locals would build," he said.

"What locals?" Jack gestured around at the steep terrain. "Who in their right mind would live here?"

"You know what I mean, Jack. The people on this planet don't build structures like this. They use brick and wood, not metal." He put his hand up to shield the sun from his eyes. "And I can't imagine they'd come all the way up here to build anything."

"I don't know," Jack said, pulling the brim of his cap lower. "Vacation home in the middle of nowhere… on a dangerous precipice… way up high… in the mountains…" He stopped and tilted his head. His eyes met Daniel's skeptical ones. "It could happen."

"Right." Daniel limped forward.

Jack pressed the button on his radio. "Carter. Teal'c."

It was at least the eighth time he'd done so in the last hour. Daniel had stopped saying anything after the angry glare Jack had given him the third time he'd pointed out that they shouldn't expect to hear anything.

His silence didn't earn him a reprieve. When there wasn't an answer from the radio Jack took his sunglasses off and gave Daniel a warning look. "I heard that."

"I didn't say anything."

"But you thought it."

"No I didn't."

"Yes, Daniel, you did."

"You can't blame someone for thinking something."

"Watch me."

Daniel shook his head and kept walking.

The sun glinted off the metal structure. It was beginning to look strangely familiar the closer they got. Daniel felt himself growing more and more excited.

"Is it just me, or does this look suspiciously like—"

"Asgard." Daniel nodded. "I was just thinking the same thing. I mean, it's not too surprising considering this was a treaty protected planet before the king kicked the Asgard out."

"A lot of good the treaty did these people."

"They couldn't step in after the people willingly accepted Goa'uld rule."

"They didn't know the king was Goa'uld."

Daniel shook his head. He grimaced as he stepped over a rather large, prickly plant. "Doesn't matter. If the Asgard came in and liberated a world the Goa'uld considered theirs, it could have endangered other worlds protected by treaties… including Earth."

Jack pursed his lips and cleared his throat. "Some protection. They threw an asteroid at us. I didn't see the Asgard step in to save our butts, either."

The radios on their vests squealed; they started at the sound. Loud feedback whistled from their speakers and grew with each step they took. Jack reached up quickly to switch his radio off.

Daniel did the same, and they both stopped.

"What…?"

"Something in the building is interfering with the signal," Daniel said.

Jack's brow wrinkled. "What signal? We haven't heard so much as a peep since we got here." His gaze shot to the building as if he were on to something.

It was Daniel's turn to read Jack's thoughts. He nodded. "Could be. Won't know until we see what's inside."

"I knew you were going to say that."

OoOoOoOoOoO

Sam reached up for the next handhold, found purchase, and pulled herself up another few inches. Rain poured down on her, making her grip slippery at best. She spat the water from her mouth and reached for another handhold.

Sam glanced down at Galek, who stood on the last shelf they'd reached, about thirty feet down, and wondered only half-jokingly whether his offer to pull her up was still on the table. The rain and wind were miserable and she was sure the tips of her fingers were worn raw by now, even though the actual climb was not the most difficult. Still, was there really anything wrong with letting the guy work a little harder? She let herself entertain the thought as she reached for the next handhold.

Her heart leapt when long fingers wrapped around her outstretched wrist. She was suddenly lifted upward, her knees and stomach scraping the rocks of the cliff-face as she went. She heard Galek's surprised shout below her, but turned her attention immediately to the angry Jaffa who hefted her up. His face was devoid of emotion, but his grip tightened as he pulled on her arm ruthlessly. Her entire weight hung from her shoulder. Her muscles burned with the stress, and she swore she heard the joint creak. She feared it would be pulled from its socket. Sam gritted her teeth and pawed at the cliff-face with her feet and free arm. Her limbs scrabbled against the surface, sent a cascade of pebbles and dirt downward, but she couldn't get purchase to relieve the pressure on her arm. If she fought back and he released her… she glanced down. The fall would kill her. She gritted her teeth against the agony and watched as the distance between her and the Jaffa closed.

He dragged her inch by inch onto the ledge. Once her knees cleared it she scrambled forward. But he kept pulling. He yanked her forward faster than she expected. She couldn't get her feet under her.

He dragged her away from the cliff and dropped her.

Rocks and dirt bit into her palms as they hit the ground. She pushed herself up, and her hands shot to her gun. She looked up, squinted through the rain to find her aim, and saw him only as a large, indistinct blur who swung towards her. His staff weapon slammed into her face.

Her head whipped back and she saw stars. Darkness threatened the edges of her vision, but she blinked it away. She threw up her hands and grabbed the head of the weapon before he swung a second time. Her hands found slick purchase. It almost slipped out of her grasp as he yanked, but she held firm.

The Jaffa reversed his momentum and stepped toward her.

Sam saw his intent and shifted her weight to avoid the heavy foot he aimed at her rib cage. It glanced off her torso, but she missed the full brunt of the assault. She ignored the pain and rolled hard left. The staff weapon twisted from her assailant's hands, but before she could bring it to bear the Jaffa came at her again. He swung his arm around to strike her and Sam jabbed him in the gut with the back end of the staff. He staggered backward, bent over, stunned long enough for Sam to reverse and prime the weapon.

The Jaffa snarled and advanced on Sam again. His weapon kicked in her hands and his face twisted with pain as his chest lit up with fire. Sam felt instant relief and gave a humorless smile of triumph. But before he'd fallen to the ground, arms reached around her and pinned hers to her sides in a crushing vise. She felt the breath of another Jaffa on her cheek. His arm gauntlets dug into her biceps and squeezed the air from her lungs.

A third Jaffa came from behind her and into sight. He rounded the two of them so they were face-to-face. She took in his handsome features before they twisted with a sneer. "Drop the weapon and surrender."

"I don't think so." It was hard to find the air to speak. She could feel her fingers start to go numb, but she held tight to the staff weapon even though she had no hope of aiming it anywhere but at the muddy ground. She squirmed in his grasp, twisting her body in an attempt to break free. Her captor's answer was to tighten his grip on her. The pressure made her ribs hurt.

"So, it was not Tok'ra who snuck past our security yesterday." The Jaffa in front of her eyed the insignia sewn on the shoulder of her BDUs. "Interesting. What purpose have the Tau'ri here?"

"I thought it'd be a great place… for a summer home," she grunted.

Anger lit his face. He kicked the weapon from her hands and stepped forward. He buried his hand in her hair and pulled back so she was forced to meet his gaze. The pain made her eyes water. With his other hand, he unclipped her gun from her vest and let it fall to the ground.

"I warn you not to toy with me. I have no patience for it."

Rain poured down into her now slightly upturned face. She blinked it away and glared back at him.

"How many of you are here?"

"How many of _me_ are here?" Her breath caught as the Jaffa squeezed. Her lungs screamed as she sucked in air. "You're looking at her."

The hand in her hair yanked sharply.

Sam refused to let the pain show. "You're wasting your time," she said. "I'm not telling you anything." She swung her leg up with all her might and kicked the Jaffa's inseam. He cried out in surprise and pain, took a step backward, and fell over the dead Jaffa.

The man who held her was thrown off balance by her sudden movement. She took advantage and brought her boot back to rake it against his instep. He cried out and tried to shuffle her. Seeing her chance, she stuck her legs between his, effectively tripping him up. They both landed hard on the ground. Mud and water splashed up into her mouth.

She rolled off the Jaffa and came to her knees, taking a deep and much needed breath. Both men were already getting up. The one who'd pulled her hair pushed himself to his feet, but he hadn't yet regained his balance when she tucked and rolled into his legs. He fell to the ground again even as she righted herself.

Sam spied the staff weapon that lay between them at the same moment the handsome one saw it. Her ribs gave a twinge as she threw herself forward, her arm reaching for its golden handle. It was no good. She was just too far away. She watched the Jaffa's hand grip the staff and draw it up off the ground, a look of triumph on his face.

A whistling sound flew above her and the Jaffa fell to his back, eyes staring, an arrow stuck in his neck.

Galek had finally crested the small cliff.

Sam didn't take time to celebrate. She crawled toward the Jaffa and grabbed the staff weapon. Her hand wrapped around the cold metal just as a fiery blast hit the ground next to her hip. Her eyes shot up to find three more Jaffa rushing toward her. Only one held a staff weapon. The other two carried zats.

Curious. Zats weren't the usual Jaffa weapon of choice.

She pushed the thought away and raised her own staff weapon. She managed to shoot the closest enemy before she was forced to dodge a zat blast. The zing of the charge seized her as it conducted itself through a puddle underneath her knees. The jolt wasn't enough to knock her out, but it rang in her ears and stole her breath for a moment.

Galek ran to her side, bow drawn. He shot an arrow into the shoulder of another Jaffa. He dropped the zat he carried, and with barely a pause, kept coming.

Sam stood, but the staff weapon flew from her hands as it was caught by a another zat blast. This shock was worse than the last and she felt her knees start to buckle. She forced them to lock beneath her and bent low to meet the attack of the advancing enemy.

Galek, without time to grab and draw another arrow, threw himself at the other man. They both fell to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs.

Sam aimed a kick at her assailant's weapon and sent it sailing into the air. He hit her hard with his fist and then landed a kick to her knee. She grunted as stars once again exploded around her. The world seemed to wobble, but she stayed on her feet. If she fell, he'd have her. She stepped back into a defensive stance, blinking quickly to bring the world back into focus.

The Jaffa charged her. She ducked low and used his momentum to send him over her shoulder. He fell hard on his back but kicked out to trip her up. She jumped over his legs and swirled to face him. He flipped himself up to his feet and squared off with her. His back was to the cliff now. She could hear the grunts of the two others fighting nearby.

She put up her guard and waited for the attack to come. It never did. One second, the Jaffa looked madder than spit and the next, his eyes widened and fear lit his face. Instantly, Sam knew it wasn't her he was afraid of. He was looking at something over her shoulder.

The Jaffa took one more glance at her and then ran to her left and into the trees, leaving his buddy behind.

Sam turned reluctantly to see what had sent the Jaffa scampering off and her eyes widened. Just behind a tree, not thirty feet away stood an extremely large… something. Instinctively, she took a step backward. It matched her step back with a step forward. The animal snorted loudly through its gigantic nostrils and the leaves on the tree in front of it moved. Even through the rain, Sam could tell this wasn't an animal to play around with.

Galek stood, having finally downed the Jaffa he'd been fighting, and must have noticed the alarmed look on her face because he turned to look at the animal. He stiffened.

"Nobody said anything about dinosaurs," Sam said. The lizard-like beast resembled a T-Rex, but he was green and had the black plumage of a raven on top of his head. He took another step toward them and let out a chilling roar.

"Stay very still," Galek said calmly.

"Still it is," Sam said. She glanced behind her at the drop-off that wasn't as far away as she'd like. The fall wasn't huge unless you included the three other smallish cliffs they'd had to climb to get to this particular plateau. None of the landings in between had been larger than four or five feet wide and she could see the very bottom from where she stood. It was a long way down.

The creature roared again, drawing her complete attention. It pawed at the ground and snorted.

"So we just stand here and it'll go away, right?"

"It is not likely." Galek made a few clicking sounds with his mouth and stepped a bit closer to Sam.

Sam let out an exasperated sigh. "What are we standing around for, then?" Her weapon lay not far in front of her. She dove for it and pointed it at the animal.

"That will merely make it angry," Galek said.

"Got any better ideas?" She stood. The creature had paused a moment in reaction to her sudden move for the gun. Now, it eyed her like she was going to be supper.

Galek took another step toward her.

The animal charged.

Sam registered Galek's alarmed shout and pulled the trigger, but as he had said, the bullets merely bounced off the animal's tough skin.

It hesitated for a moment, though, and belched out another loud roar.

Sam had nowhere to go.

In the back of her mind, another sound had begun to grow louder. She couldn't identify it. Almost like a low rumble.

"Sam!" Galek's voice held a new note in it. One of fear she hadn't heard from him yet. "We must move!"

Sam took a step back and felt the edge of the cliff with her heel. "Yeah, that's brilliant!" She glanced at him and then quickly back at the animal that looked like it was ready to come at them again. "Where do you suggest we go?"

"Away from the flood water's path!"

"What flood water?"

Galek pointed and she understood. The rumble grew louder and Sam saw why. They stood at the edge of a short mountain valley whose incline was almost imperceptible except for on either side of them, where there appeared to be hip-high dirt embankments about ten meters apart. Almost like they were in a dried riverbed. Or an arroyo.

With all the fighting, she'd almost forgotten where they were. Waterfall.

The creature snapped at them.

"I'll cover you! Go!" Sam fired at it again, this time aiming for the face. It roared and backed away.

"I will not leave you behind!"

"I'll be right behind you! Go!" With a renewed sense of urgency, Sam pulled the trigger and held it, pushing the animal farther back. Galek's arrows joined her bullets. It cried out under the onslaught and finally turned to run.

Sam felt a sense of panic as she caught sight of the surge just beyond it. The rain that had pelted them through the night and then today had begun to run down the mountain. The floodwaters filled the arroyo quickly, and if they didn't get out of its path, would wash them back down the mountainside.

And Galek still stood stubbornly beside her.

The water rushed under the feet of the animal. He scrambled against the tide toward the nearest embankment.

Sam thought the creature had the right idea. She grabbed onto Galek's shirt and pulled. Together, they ran to the right. The water crashed around them and her feet disappeared beneath the flood. It was cold and it pulled at her, trying to sweep her off the shelf. But she could fight it. It wasn't going to win. Even though it quickly rose from her ankles to her calves, she was able to push toward safety.

"At least it got rid of our friend!" she called back to Galek.

"We are lucky. Erostas are vicious animals. We would not have won."

"I don't know about that. I think we were starting to have an understanding."

Sam spied the edge of the arroyo just in front of her. The water had quickly risen to her hips and gained some strength. It pushed her off balance. She felt herself start to fall. With the weight of her pack, she wasn't sure she'd be able to pull herself back up. The ledge was still far too close for comfort.

Galek's hands grabbed her upper arm. He pulled her back up and waited until she'd found her balance before he released her.

She gave him a grateful smile. "Thanks."

And then the ground beneath their feet disappeared, washed away by the rushing water.

* * *

I'm hard at work on chapter nine... as well as the three assignments coming up this week for my masters program: a literary analysis of a short story (that isn't exactly short), a more than a little complex writing exercise, and a 20 page minimum short story of my very own. Needless to say, I'll be busy. I promise to get chapter nine posted as soon as I possibly can. Now that's a promise I can keep. :0)

Remember, I love, love, love, love to hear from you! (Especially on nutso weeks like this one.)


	9. Chapter 9

Lots of whump in this chapter... I know, I know. It's about time! :0) Thanks for being patient as I start my Master's classes. I'm trying not to let it hold chapters up too much. As always, I really appreciate hearing from you. Even if it's just to say hi, it makes me glad to know you're there. I hope you enjoy the chapter!

**Warning!** Taking a two hour nap, while tempting, does more harm than good- just ask the little swirlies that are jumping in front of my eyes right now.

* * *

**Once the Twilight**

**Chapter Nine**

Sam closed her mouth against the choking water and stirred up mud that washed instantly over her head. Her stomach rose to her throat. She was falling! Desperate to do something to save herself, she reached out and grabbed at the cliff wall beside her. Its surface was jagged and tore at her fingers. Her hand briefly caught something. It slowed her fall for a moment and her heart caught in her throat, but then she slipped away and landed hard on the ledge below. She cried out at the impact. She bit her tongue and tasted blood. The water wasn't finished with her, though. It continued to shove at her even as she tried to gain some footing against it. She clawed at the softening ground and tried to dig in her feet. But the flood mercilessly tossed her off the small ledge like a rag doll in a washing machine. Her mind screamed at her. Big fall! Much bigger than the last.

In a panic, Sam flailed her arms; sought anything she could use to stop her fall. Her heart pounded in her chest and she held her breath against the flood. Then it happened. Her palm found purchase on something thick and she grabbed. The sudden jerk on her shoulder as her body instantly stopped its plummet made her cry out. Something heavy landed on her and the pain in her arm and shoulder wrenched a cry from her throat. She forced her fingers to stiffen and held firm. She closed her eyes, her thoughts a mixture of relief and anguish.

Arms wrapped around her waist. Galek.

She looked down into his upturned eyes, then past him to the ledge below. Around them the rock wall dipped inward a bit, so the water rushed past them rather than on top of them. She could see clearly the long drop to the solid surface of the ledge. If the fall didn't kill them, it would hurt a heck of a lot… and that was if they weren't pushed past it by the water. The next drop would definitely be fatal.

Her shoulder screamed at her. She tried to reach up with her free hand. Galek's weight tore at her arm. The muscles shook. Then Galek started slipping. She felt his arms around her waist, and then her hips. She reached down with her free hand and bent her legs up so she could grab on to his collar. He lost grip then. She felt his arms slide from her and grabbed in desperation. She caught his wrist. "Hang on!" Her own fingers slipped on the branch she held.

"Let me fall!" Galek looked down to the ledge and then back to her.

"No." She cursed inside. Part of her wished she could let him go. "Help me!"

Sam fought to keep her hold on the branch above. Her shoulder wasn't going to last much longer. Galek's added weight was torture. "Galek, if you don't help, we're _ both_ going to fall!" She glared down at him, her teeth clenched. "Now!"

Galek reached up with his free arm and wrapped it around her legs. When she was sure he had a good grip, she let go of his hand. Immediately, she reached up to grab at the branch with both hands before her shoulder could give out. She had no doubt there was damage. She wanted to kick her legs out to try and find some foothold on the wall beside her, but she couldn't with Galek's heavy body weighing her down.

Galek pulled his way up her torso until they were face to face.

It was a little too close for comfort. She pulled her legs up to try to give him some leverage to make it the rest of the way. Around them, the wind howled. It blew icy flecks of floodwater into her eyes and made her shiver. She clenched her teeth to keep them from chattering from the cold and the agony in her arm.

Galek planted a foot against her upturned thigh and pushed up. She felt his fingers brush hers as they grabbed the branch. Instantly, she felt relief. Her arm still screamed, but at least it was just her weight it had to carry now.

"There's another branch above," she said. She kicked out now to try and find a foothold. She had to get off this branch. Her arm wasn't going to hold her much longer.

"I see it."

Galek grunted as he reached for it.

His fingertips grazed the underside of the new branch.

Then their lifeline broke. Sam sucked in breath as the wind once again rushed past her. She was falling. She scrabbled against the cliff face to find some purchase against the slick wall. Her fingernails tore and rocks broke off the cliff face, pelting her skin like shrapnel. But nothing was there to stop her fall… until she hit the solid ledge below.

OoOoOoOoO

"Daniel."

"Yes, Jack."

"Do you think you might have some kind of an answer before I turn 65?"

Daniel threw him an annoyed look and went back to the computer panel he'd been staring at for the past twenty minutes. Outside the building, their warm day had turned quickly into a torrent of wind and rain. Jack couldn't help but wonder if this metal box they sat in would protect them or just act like a big toaster oven if it were struck by lightening.

"The writing's in Asgard," Daniel said.

"Yeah. You said that."

"Well, to be perfectly honest with you, I'm a little slower to translate it."

Jack raised his eyebrows. "You mean the Great Daniel Jackson doesn't know a little old alien language?"

"I can read it just fine. It's just that on this computer it's blended with a lot of other symbols and abbreviations." His eyes met Jack's. "Not so much unlike our own computers."

Jack jumped down from the metal counter he'd been sitting on, picked up his gun, and clipped it to his vest. "It's about time to move along, then."

"I _have_ been able to determine that this is, in fact, the reason our radios aren't working."

"Yeah?"

Daniel nodded. "From what I can see, all this turned on shortly after the Goa'uld appeared over the planet."

"To keep them from being able to communicate with their troops and give the Asgard time to get here." _Smart._

"They must have left it here when the people asked them to go."

Jack shook his head. "So if we turn it all off, we can reach Teal'c and Carter?"

"That's my guess."

"Then shut it off."

"Now wait a minute, Jack. Let's think about that."

Jack felt his annoyance level shoot up again. "Think about what? They're out there and we need to talk to them." He didn't mention how much he'd been worrying about his teammates… one a little more than the others. He didn't even want to start to go there.

Carter could take care of herself. He shook his head. "Turn it off."

"If this is disrupting our radios, then it's disrupting the Goa'uld's communications, too. That's probably why they haven't been able to find us or this device they're looking for. If we turn it off now, that could all change."

Jack leaned back against the counter and put his hands on his hips. He couldn't turn it off then, could he? But Carter, Teal'c and Hailey were who-knows-where, and for all Jack knew, hurt and in need of help. There was no guarantee his teams' pods had landed as gently as theirs. He glanced at Daniel's leg and shook his head. "We need to talk to them," he said.

Daniel opened his mouth but Jack held up a quieting finger.

"Just for a few minutes. Just long enough to find out their condition and then we turn it all back on again."

Daniel drew his head back and blinked a couple of times. "That could work." He met Jack's eyes. "You realize that once it's off, there's no guarantee I can turn it on again?"

"Live dangerously, Daniel. Have a little faith." He nodded to the controls. "Turn it off."

"Off it is," Daniel said, still with a little doubt in his voice. He moved a white stone across the symbols and the whir of the machinery inside the computers died away. He turned back to Jack with a humorless smile. "Try it."

Jack reached up to his radio and pressed the button. "Carter. Teal'c. Hailey. Are you there?"

Silence.

Jack sighed with frustration and tried again. "Carter. Come in."

Static.

"Teal'c?"

Jack was about to give up when a voice answered through the speaker. He almost jumped at the sound.

"Colonel. It's Hailey."

Not exactly the female voice he was hoping to hear, but it would do. He met Daniel's questioning look and depressed the talk button.

"Good to hear from you, Hailey. Where's Teal'c?"

"Our pod was damaged in the landing. Teal'c was injured. I've been trying to reach you for hours, but the radios haven't been working." There was a mixture of frustration and relief in her voice.

"There's been something blocking transmissions, but Daniel and I found it. We turned it off. We can't leave it off long, though, so we need to make this quick. How bad is it?"

She must have known what he meant because she jumped right in. "He's pretty bad, but he insists his symbiote can handle it. I think he'll be out of the picture for a few days." She grew silent and then there was some mumbling in the background like she was talking to someone. "We were rescued by the Garund, sir."

Jack looked at Daniel in surprise. Daniel shrugged.

"I thought they were all slaves in the mine."

"There are a few pockets of free people here and there that the Jaffa haven't been able to round up yet. Kailan says it's because their technology doesn't work right on the planet."

"Kailan?" Daniel this time.

"He escaped and made it back here. He's the one who recognized Teal'c after they found us. He had us brought to their camp and has been taking care of Teal'c."

"It is good to hear that you are well, O'Neill," Kailan's voice interrupted.

Jack ignored the salutation, his mind on other things. Their happy reunion could happen later. "Have you guys seen or heard from Carter?"

"No. You haven't?"

"Not a peep." He sighed. If she'd heard the radio chatter, she should have answered by now.

The look on Daniel's face said he'd been thinking the same thing.

Jack pushed aside his worry. "Listen, there are a few things we need to talk about before we go black again."

OoOoOoOoO

Someone was talking. There was a loud whooshing sound that covered the voices up so they came in and out like a radio dial finding a station and passing it by again. Along with the sound came a tide of pain. It took Sam a moment to pinpoint it to her shoulder and her hip. There was a dull ache at the back of her head, too. She'd hit it when she fell. She forced her eyes open and closed them again when a bout of nausea hit her. This had been her second time unconscious in as many days. Not good.

With a groan, Sam rolled over to the hip that wasn't hurting. Her whole body felt like one big bruise, but that was nothing compared to the fire in her shoulder. She winced and tried to make out her surroundings. It took her a moment to make sense out of what she saw. A wall of water blocked sight of anything but rock. Something else was making that noise, though. _Voices?_

Sam gave a long blink and then another to try to clear her head of confusion. In the corner of her eyesight, she saw something. She turned her head and saw him. Galek. He lay a foot away from her, his legs dangling precariously over the edge. The water pushed at him, rocking him so that his torso shifted closer to the edge even as she watched.

Another long blink and she pushed herself up to a sitting position with her good arm. The world only spun a little, so she didn't bother to wait it out. She crawled over to him and grabbed his collar. Her fingers hurt when she clenched the material. She scooted back and pulled with all her strength. For a moment, she thought all her strength wasn't going to be enough, but then he started to move. She scooted again and gave another tug. This time, her energy waned more quickly, but she saw that his feet were the only part of him hanging out over the cliff. He wasn't in danger of falling anymore.

She leaned back against the rock wall and closed her eyes. The sound of the water phased in and out. And there were those voices again.

She sat there for a few moments before she realized where they were coming from. She reached up and pushed the button on her radio. "Sir?" Her voice came out like a croak.

Silence. Then, "Carter?"

"Could you keep it down, sir? I've got a splitting headache."

"What's your situation, Major?" Was it her imagination, or was his voice a bit thicker than it had been a minute ago?

"We fell, sir." She shifted to put less weight against her shoulder. "Pretty big fall."

"Status?"

She opened her eyes and moved her head side to side, taking in the twinges that shot through her neck and shoulders, down her back. Nothing terrible there. "Not wonderful, sir, but mobile." She didn't want to tell him she thought her shoulder may be broken and that she hadn't tried to put any weight on her hip yet.

"And Galek?"

"Unconscious." She put two fingers against his neck and felt a steady thrum. "But alive."

"Galek is with you?"

Sam blinked in confusion at the voice. She recognized it. "Kailan?"

"He's with Teal'c and Hailey," Jack said. "How much of our conversation did you hear, Carter?"

"Not really any of it, sir. I've only been conscious for a couple of minutes."

Another beat of silence. "We're going to lose radio communication in a minute, Carter. I need to know if you can make it to our rendezvous point."

She nodded. "We'll be there."

"Are you well enough to continue with the mission?"

Sam nodded. She wasn't about to leave without setting her eyes on whatever was inside that mine. "We are," She slipped her finger off the talk button. "You'd _better_ be," she said to Galek. He didn't budge.

The Colonel seemed satisfied with Sam's answer. "Should you and Galek make it there before we do, go on ahead. Just make sure to mark the way. We still may be a few days away. There's no way to be sure."

"Teal'c and Hailey?"

"Teal'c was injured when his pod landed. He's with Kailan's people. Kailan knows where to take Hailey, so they'll be joining up with us without Teal'c."

Sam couldn't fight her surprise. Her eyes shot open and she sat up a bit. "Sir?"

"He's fine. Junior just needs time to heal him up."

Sam nodded. "I understand. Tell everyone to be careful. We ran into a few Jaffa and I know at least one of them got away. Chances are the Goa'uld knows roughly where we are and she knows it's us. I don't know if that makes her more or less inclined to take prisoners."

"Hailey," Jack said, "You got that?"

"I heard it, sir."

"Okay. Rendezvous is a go. Proceed with caution. Radio blackout in twenty seconds."

"Got it." Sam said.

"Carter?"

"Yes, sir."

"You sure you're good to go?"

"I'll be there."

"Okay." Sam heard the doubt in his voice. "Good luck."

"Thanks."

Sam let the radio go and looked across at the water that still fell in front of her. She glanced up where the wall jutted out just enough to have created a small indentation of a cave for them on the ledge. There was no way she could climb that now. They'd have to go down and take the long way to the mine entrance.

The question was… how in the world was she going to get them back down?

* * *

You guys are the best ever! Can't wait to post the next chapter! Thanks for reading. :0) Don't forget to let me know what you thought.


	10. Chapter 10

Hello all! I hope your holiday has been wonderful! It feels like it's been forever since I posted, and that's probably because it's the longest I've ever gone between posts while in the middle of a story. This first class really kicked my butt with deadlines. Then I hit sbz with the chapter at her busy time of the semester. I have to say a huge thank you to her for continuing to take the time to work with me. Also, a huge thank you to those of you who continued to send me love and messages during my absence. I heard you. I appreciate you. I hope you enjoy what I've written. This next class doesn't appear to be as grueling as the last one (at least the syllabus doesn't look as scary). I know, I know. Now that I've said it...

Those of you who have been waiting for some whump will get it in this chapter. Yay!

Again, Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! And may each of you have a wonderful New Year!

**Warning! **Too much turkey and stuffing will result in a non-productive night on the couch watching a horrible and hopeless chick flick and lots of tummy rumbling... that is, until it's time for the peach pie. :0)

* * *

**Once the Twilight**

**Chapter Ten**

Jack shook his head at Daniel, wishing they hadn't been forced to reconnect the radio jammer. Outside, rain pelted the metal walls and roof, drowning out the whir of the computer next to him. He wished it could make his dark thoughts disappear, too.

"She said she was fine," Daniel said beside him.

How did he do that? "Yeah, I know she did," Jack said. He busied his hands by digging through his pack for something to eat. He wasn't really hungry, but he needed to do something. All the while, he pictured his second officer lying mangled near some cliff out there.

"She wouldn't lie to you."

Jack raised his eyebrows, fighting the urge to say something nasty. Finally, his fingers wrapped around an energy bar. "Of course she would." He said, tearing at the wrapper. "That's exactly what she'd do." He tried to forget the sound of pain in her voice… the slur in her words. There was nothing he could do about it.

Daniel seemed to know he needed a minute. His friend turned back to the control board and made sure everything was back the way they found it.

Jack jumped down off the counter and zipped up his pack. He shrugged it on while he crammed the energy bar into his mouth in three big bites. The wrapper, he crinkled into a little ball and threw it over his shoulder.

He turned to find Daniel eyeing him sternly, then he looked to the litter Jack had deposited on the floor.

Jack shrugged. "So sue me," he said. "We have a mine to get to."

Daniel nodded, grabbed his own pack, and headed for the door. His limp was still obvious.

They exited the building into the pouring rain. It wasn't the first time Jack wished there'd been enough time to put rain gear in their packs before they'd been forced to jump ship. They had probably another four hours of sunlight left. They needed to make the most of it. He put his hat on and looked down the mountain. The terrain dropped into a steep decline not far away. They'd probably be rappelling soon. He didn't think Daniel would be able to do it with that leg of his.

Well, they'd fight that battle when they came to it.

Daniel pulled the door tightly shut and turned back to Jack with a nod.

Jack returned it. "Let's get going."

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Sam leaned back against the rock face and closed her eyes. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been so tired. Pain could do that to you. She shivered slightly and pulled her jacket closed as more clouds rolled in. Thunder crashed in the grey sky. The loud cracks echoed around her and added to her sense of urgency to get off this horrible cliff. Once the storm dumped its load higher in the mountains, the waterfall was going to get bigger… it could possibly grow strong enough to push them off their little shelf. She had to get them down. She opened her eyes and tried to sit up a bit straighter.

"Galek," she said. He didn't budge. She kicked out with her left foot and her boot connected with his shoulder. "Galek!" She rolled her eyes. "And he thought _I_ was going to be a burden?" She shifted again and winced when the movement sent daggers into her shoulder. She didn't check the whimper that escaped her lips or the small bit of moisture that rolled from the corner of her eye. She'd never allow that to happen if Galek were awake, but since he was sleeping…

Sam examined her shoulder. She needed to see what was wrong, but it was going to be hard to do up here. There was hardly any room to move around and she really needed to strip her BDU jacket to get a good look. Shrugging out of it would be next to impossible in the amount of space she had. Instead, she reached up with her other hand and gingerly felt around the area. It screamed in protest at her touch and she closed her eyes against the pain.

Oh, but it hurt.

She sucked in air through her teeth. She didn't feel any bones sticking out, but there was a definite baseball sized lump where it shouldn't be. "Out of its socket," she said to herself. "Great." With a heavy sigh, she let her hand fall to her lap. That arm would be useless on the climb down. She'd have to put it back in place once she got there. If Galek were awake, she could have him do it, but alone, she'd need space and some kind of anchor.

So. Down.

Sam leaned forward and scooted on her bottom until she could see all the way down to the ground. They'd fallen pretty far already, but this last drop, the one that led to solid ground, was a doozy. Far below, the tops of trees bent with the force of the wind. From up here, she could see a few hundred meters wide indentation in the ground. The water pooled in the basin. She never would have noticed it from below. The trees were too thick and its edges weren't as defined as the arroyo up top. When it was full, it would be a large body of water, though not too deep.

"It's a good thing we planned to go spelunking," Sam told the unconscious Galek. She reached out and grabbed his shoulder strap with her good hand. It was an awkward reach, but she was able to pull him farther onto the shelf. Once she was sure his body was secure, she began the arduous task of removing his pack from his shoulders. It was not the easiest of jobs as she had to do it one-handed while making sure she didn't shift him enough to knock him off the ledge. Finally, she wiped the sweat from her brow and pulled the pack into her lap. She removed the rope and a few clamps from the pack, followed by an anchor. A shiver took hold. The wind threatened to freeze the sweat on her skin. It whistled through the cracks in the rock behind her and blew the water across her exposed cheeks.

"Once we're down," she mumbled to herself, "we'll need to find shelter."

She zipped the pack back up, set it beside her, and shot another glance at Galek. Not a twitch. She grimaced. "You really are going to make me do this alone, aren't you?" In frustration, she grabbed a handful of loose pebbles on the shelf and tossed them at him. A couple bounced up off his forehead and she heard the soft ting as others landed against the metal buckle on his belt.

She watched the steady rise and fall of his chest and was almost jealous. It would be nice to be able to take a nap while _he_ lowered _her_ down the rest of the way. Nah. If their roles were reversed, he'd probably leave her on the ledge and head off alone.

Tempting.

Sam shook her head and unwound the nylon rope, ignoring the pain in her shoulder as she was forced to use that arm. Her fingers had begun to go numb so she knew she had to work fast on her knots. She took the end and built a crude harness, then shifted closer to Galek. She had to practically lie across his face to reach his waist and legs.

Once the harness was in place, she fought with the buttons on his BDU jacket. Getting it off him was the hardest part. Her breathing came in short pants and she let go with all the curses she knew as her shoulder screamed in protest. She took the freed jacket and wrapped it around his head for protection in case she wasn't able to lower him gently enough. She didn't know how bad his injury was even now. If he managed to take a blow on the way down, he could be in really bad shape.

When she was satisfied, she leaned back against the wall and squeezed her eyes tight. She threw her arm over them and concentrated on breathing in and out against the fire in her shoulder.

Just then the sky opened up. A torrent of rain and wind pelted her.

Great. Just great.

With shaking fingers, she tied Galek's pack into the harness and grabbed the line closest to his head with both hands. Saying a little prayer that her shoulder would hold up, she gave him a sharp kick that sent him over the edge. The rope instantly went taut and she felt his weight pull against her hands. She leaned away from the pull until her back met the rock wall, feet braced against the floor. Slowly, she let the rope slip through her hands, lowering him toward the ground below.

Her teeth clenched. The rope grew slick with rain. It slipped repeatedly in her grip, rubbing blisters into her palms. Her shoulder threatened to give out. Time passed. And then the weight was gone. She relaxed against the wall and let the rope go. It slithered toward the edge and then disappeared. After allowing herself a minute to catch her breath, she inched to the edge and peered down. Galek lay on his back half in the growing pool below. Water covered his legs but had yet to rise above his hips or chest. It looked like the pool had a bit farther to grow out before it would rise any more. She had a little time.

With the extra room Galek's absence gave her, Sam was able to shift her hips farther from the wall. She reached up to remove her pack and couldn't stop the sharp cry that slipped from her lips when she had to shrug out of the straps. Every movement was pure agony.

She pulled the pack around to her lap and unzipped it. Her rope sat right on top of the other supplies. She took another moment to pull out a packet of ibuprofen and ripped it open with her teeth. She popped them in her mouth and chewed, ignoring the nasty taste. It probably wouldn't do much to help, but it was something.

Zipping the bag back up, she dropped it beside her and grabbed the anchor. She reached down with her fingers and felt along the hard ledge until she found what she was looking for… a crack just big enough to jam the contraption into. She used all the strength she had to force the metal into the crack as far as it would go. Then she released the spring, solidifying its grip on the mountain. She tugged at it until she was fairly sure it would hold, then attached a clamp to its ring. The rope slipped easily through the loop of the clamp and she tied one end to her waist. Since her hands were now completely numb there was no way to be sure how tight the knot was. Relying on her eyes to tell her it would hold, she scooted to the edge and reached back to grab her pack. She slipped it on, being as careful of her shoulder as she could, and looked down. If her shoulder gave out once she started, she was going to be a pancake. There wasn't nearly enough water down there to break her fall.

Her hands wrapped tightly around the loose end of the rope just on the other side of the clamp. The rain didn't matter now that she felt the full brunt of the waterfall. Soaked to the bone, her teeth began to chatter. Below, the water rose quickly. It seemed to have finally reached the edge of the basin. Galek was covered to his chest.

Knowing she'd run out of time, Sam shifted her hips and slid off the ledge, praying the knots and anchor would hold. She hung there for a moment, bracing herself against the fire in her shoulder. Then, she began to let the rope slide through her raw hands, slowly lowering herself toward the ground. She focused on this single task, pushing aside all thoughts of the cold or the water, of her shoulder or hands. The rope slid inside her grasp; it rubbed against her blisters. She set her eyes on the rock wall in front of her and kept going.

About eight feet from the bottom, the rope came to an end. "Great," she muttered, casting her eyes downward. The pool of water was deeper now. It would cushion her fall somewhat. It really wasn't that far, anyway.

"Right."

It wasn't as if she had a choice. There was only one way down, pleasant or not. Deciding that there was no use delaying the inevitable, she let go of the rope. Her stomach flew to her throat the instant she started falling. Then she hit the water and the rocky ground beneath it with her backside. Instinctively, she threw her hands back to catch herself and instantly regretted it. Fire shot from her shoulder and traveled in waves down her back. She cried out and swallowed some water.

Sputtering, she rolled to her side and used her good arm to push up to a sitting position. The water continued to fall on her from above. She hunched her shoulders and tilted her face downward so she could draw in a few deep breaths. Several feet away, out of the water's spray, Galek still lay unconscious. His head floated above the water, the level not yet deep enough to bring the rest of him up off the ground.

Sam frowned. If anything was going to wake him, the water should have. "How hard did you hit your head, anyway?" she asked. Of course, he didn't answer.

Dragging herself up to her feet, she swayed under the pressure of the falling water. Her hair was plastered to the side of her face. She shoved it out of her eyes. A sharp twinge rose up her leg from her knee as she trudged through the rising water toward Galek. She must have hurt it in the initial tumble that had stranded them on the shelf. The injury didn't seem to be too bad, though. Her leg held her weight and already some of the immediate pain seemed to be lessening.

Her teeth chattered as she made it to Galek and grabbed the portion of sleeve that puffed out in the water near his shoulder. She fought the stiffness in her cold fingers to grip the material and pulled. They weren't far from the edge of the reservoir, but it still took all the strength she could muster to drag him to it and up onto the muddy bank.

The rain poured down on them in earnest. They needed to find shelter. Looking around, she figured her best bet was the rock wall itself. Maybe if she followed it for a while, she'd find a cave or nook to crawl into.

Sam looked down at her shoulder. It throbbed and shot pain down her back and up into her neck. She really didn't want to wait to put it back in place, but if she broke it in the process or tore something, she may find herself worse off. She should get them to shelter first. She shook her head and looked up into the dark sky. A peel of thunder shook the ground.

Misery. That's what this planet was.

She bent down and grabbed Galek's jacket again. She pulled his limp body farther from the water's edge and into the shelter of a thick bush. He showed no signs of waking up. Her eyes flitted to her watch. Really, he'd only been out about thirty minutes longer than she had. Depending on how long that had been, it really wasn't long enough to get truly worried. If he woke up while she was gone, she had no way of predicting what he'd do. But she didn't have the strength or the desire to lug him around while she scouted.

Once she was sure Galek was sufficiently shielded from the weather, she turned and hung a left. If she remembered right, he'd told her that was the way they'd needed to head if they decided not to scale the rock wall.

"The long way around," she muttered. A small animal resembling a rabbit dashed away from a bush nearby. "Slow and steady wins the race, right?" she asked it. Without an answer, the creature scampered away from the threat of her presence and into the distance.

"Right."

She shifted her pack and kept walking.

OoOoOoOoO

Teal'c was sitting up, trying to pull a damaged t-shirt over his head when she walked into his tent. Jennifer took in the sweat beaded on his forehead and the shadows in his eyes and stepped forward quickly. Just a hand to his uninjured shoulder was enough to push him back down into the bed.

"You," she said with a courage she didn't quite feel. His presence still intimidated her. "Stay." He'd managed to get the shirt around his neck. She pulled it off and let it fall to the ground at her feet.

"I must accompany you to the mine," he said, once again trying to sit up.

She held her hand firmly against his shoulder, effectively stilling him. "Right now you couldn't accompany me to the doorway."

In obvious frustration, he gave up and closed his eyes. "My symbiote will heal me."

"I know it will." Jennifer took his canteen from beside the bed and unscrewed the lid. "Just not today." She poured some of the lukewarm liquid between his parted lips and watched his throat work as he swallowed.

"I do not like sending you alone with Kailan to the mines."

"You said we could trust him." Even as she spoke, she pushed aside the feelings of anxiety she harbored when it came to the Garund leader.

"I said we would be safe _here_ while I heal. These are good people." Teal'c drew his gaze to her face. "Kailan is a dangerous man."

Jennifer nodded. "You have history."

"It is a history that nearly meant the end of Major Carter's life." Though his speech was slightly slurred, there was no mistaking the intensity in Teal'c's expression.

"I thought Galek…"

"Galek wielded the weapon, yes," he said, "but Kailan allowed it to happen. None of us has forgotten, though circumstance has brought us together as allies." His hands shook as he took the canteen from her and sipped from it again.

There was a chair in the corner. Jennifer dragged it over so she could sit near Teal'c's head. "I can take care of myself. You don't have to worry."

"Do not underestimate him, Lieutenant Hailey. Kailan has helped us in the past, but he has also shown that he is willing to do anything he feels will help his people."

A bit of unease rose up the back of her neck. "Including the betrayal of an ally?"

Teal'c gave a slight nod and took another sip from his canteen. "As long as we remain with his people, he will not turn on us. It could endanger those he protects here. But the moment you leave with him—"

"All bets are off." Her fingers itched for the gun they had yet to return to her.

Another nod.

"Then I'll just have to keep an eye out." She met his gaze, hoping he could see enough strength in her expression to instill in him a little more confidence in her.

"It appears as if you have no choice."

* * *

I look forward to hearing from you. I hope you liked the chapter! :0) I hope to have chapter eleven finished by the end of Winter Break. Thanks for reading, guys!


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